Things Unseen
by artist369
Summary: A professionally illustrated, daring adventure of romance and intrigue, written in a classic could-be-cannon Doctor Who feel. Things don't quite go as planned for the Meta-Crisis Doctor when he arrives on Pete's World. Thrown into a mystery that needs solving, can the Doctor and Rose discover the truth behind a hidden threat before it's too late?
1. Chapter 1

Who has been stealing top-secret intelligence from Torchwood? Why are employees disappearing one by one? What does the Doctor have to do a mysterious energy project being commissioned in secret? And how can he convince Rose of his true identity when isn't so sure himself?

This story has been professionally illustrated by yours truly. To see the illustrations visit my profile for links. As more chapters are posted more illustrations will be released. This story is complete. Expect chapters once a week. This story is approximately 110,000 words long. Special thanks to my beta readers Sugarpoultry and Brittany. Doctor Who belongs to the BBC. I own none of the characters.

**Chapter 1**

"Just give me a mo'."

She had said it in a effort to sound far less affected than she actually was, but even as the words formed on her lips Rose's thoughts were muddling, refusing to compute.

_Thud. Thud. Thud._

Was that her heart or her head? She wasn't entirely sure.

She faintly felt an icy trickle, something that seemed to start at her bent knees embedded in the course sand, working it's way upwards into her navel before gripping her chest.

_Thud. Thud. Thud._

It was so loud, the thudding. God, she wished it would stop.

She was frozen, transfixed upon the creeping tide threatening to wipe away the imprints of the shoes in the soft ground. She wanted to reach out, to touch where his shoes had touched before they were forever lost, to feel _something_, but she couldn't bring herself to move. So she stared.

There were so many possibilities running through her head of what would happen if she ever made it back, but she never thought it would be _her_ decision that ultimately brought about their final separation. That made it a thousand times worse.

She looked again and they were gone, erased by the tide as if they'd never existed.

Was she moving? No. _Yes,_ her body was involuntarily moving- shivering. That's the term, _shivering_. Was she cold?

_Thud. Thud. Thud._

For the first time she registered the pain banging her head. Wincing, she grabbed her forehead.

How could she let this happen? Suddenly the memory of the kiss she had just shared with the man in blue flashed before her eyes._ Oh God, what have I done?_

And then she felt the brunt of it, the icy cold. In that moment she was sure the abyss of space could feel no colder. It was the cold of the awful truth, ripping from her every semblance of lingering hope, tearing into her so much deeper than in just physical manifestations.

A strangled noise escaped her lips. Was it a sigh? A cry? A laugh?

She supposed it was funny, in a way, to work so desperately towards a goal and then willingly let it pass her by. As if she'd decided on a whim to not bother the man in her thoughts every waking moment with such unimportant pesky things like loving him to death and instead let him get on with his life. _No really, don't mind me. I didn't cross universes just to be with you again. Please, don't let me keep you._ He didn't even say goodbye. Must not have been important. Must of forgot. After everything she did for him, risking her life every day, absorbing the ruddy vortex for heavens sake! How comical. It was funny, wasn't it?

And so she laughed. And laughed. And cried. No, _sobbed_. She was sobbing now. Violent wrenching sobs amplified by the tremulous shivers now overtaking her.

A flash of blue was at her side. Someone was hoisting her up from the water now overtaking her knees. Had she really been there that long?

They were moving now. Firm hands wrapped around her, helping her to walk, ushering her dripping numb feet forward against the whipping wind. She was barely aware of her mother on the phone as they trudged in the sand.

_Thud. Thud. Thud_.

Suddenly she was on a zeppelin overlooking the vast pink and orange horizon beneath. She was looking out the window, but not really. She was vaguely aware of the blue pinstripe jacket draped across her front, and the persistent quivering of her body under the comforting arm along her back.

_Thud. Thud. Thud._

Arguing. Someone was arguing as they rode in the limo. She found herself staring out the window once more but there was only black. Night must have fallen. More arguing. Pete was angry. Her mum hadn't asked him about following her to the other universe. And she was still shivering. He pulled her closer.

_Thud. Thud. Stomp. Stomp._

Her legs were still shaking as she ascended the grand mansion stairs, his arm still supporting her along the way.

She heard the rushing of water amid the chattering of her teeth as he drew a bath, steam now beginning to fill the opulent bathroom. He had unzipped her coat, helped her out of her shoes, and placed a towel in her hands before kissing her cheek. The door clicked behind him, waking her up with a start.

Once again she was overwhelmed with the crippling cold. Her fingers shook, greatly hindering her ability to undo the rest of her clothing. With effort she managed to shimmy out of her clothes and dipped her toes in the water. It burned.

_Thud. Thud. Thud._

Perhaps the burning and pain was fitting penance for her betrayal.

She slid into the scorching water, ignoring the protest of her quaking body until she was entirely submerged, willing the hot water to envelope every bit of her. Her face barely broke the surface as she inhaled, the quaking slowly starting to subside.

The water was barely warm when hands once again came for her, this time her mother's. She drained the water, threw a towel around her, and helped her dress into some dry pajamas.

_Thud. Thud. Thud._

She was curled up on the couch near the fire, a pill in one hand and a cup of tea in the other.

"Rose..."

Startled by his voice, she snapped back to reality.

"Rose, you should take the pain killers. They will help your headache, remember?"

She turned to see him next to her, concern etched upon his dark brow, his arm around her shoulder snuggled up to her, a warm afghan blanket drawn up over them both.

Her breath caught in her chest to see his face so close to her own, so familiar and yet slightly different than the one she had committed to memory. His espresso eyes were both more open _and_ more tired, the lines of his face worn just a bit deeper. The stubble on his jaw and the way his dark fringe laid haphazardly against his forehead made him look ever so human, and she wondered if he knew just how beautiful he was.

"Right." She looked down at the pill and brought it to her mouth washing it down with a warm swig of tea in one fluid movement. As if suddenly reminded of the lack of food, her tummy growled ravenously. She downed the rest of her cup in one gulp.

He took it from her, gently placing it on the ornately carved wooden coffee table. "You're starving. I should get you some food." Preparing to stand, he shifted her slightly as he tugged the blanket off of him.

"No," she replied stopping him abruptly with her hand. "No, _stay_.

Even in the flicker of the firelight, his eyes seemed to grow. "Come 'ere," he whispered as he drew her to him. She buried her face into his chest as they both lay across the couch intertwining into one another. Perhaps it was selfish of her to so willingly fall into another man's arms, but it was all that could comfort her, pretending that he was someone else for just a moment as she drifted off to sleep.

She awoke couple hours later splayed across his chest, the last of the embers in the fireplace dying out nearly leaving them both in complete darkness. His rhythmic breath rustling against her hair told her that he was still very much asleep. She nudged closer into him, drinking in his scent and closeness with wild thirst. He smelled of time. If such a thing had a scent surely it smelled like electricity with a hint of honey and a dash of tea. _Her doctor_.

But he wasn't, was he? A sinking feeling overwhelmed her at the heart-breaking realization. Tears stung her eyes.

_No._

She couldn't do this. Not here. Not now.

Carefully she pried herself from his grasp, sliding his warm hands from her back onto the couch. He hardly flinched. Stealthily she unwound the knitted blanket from her legs and pulled it gently it back over him. He jostled slightly but was soon slumbering peacefully once more.

It wasn't until she stood against the door of her bedroom that she afforded herself to internalize what had truly happened. And then it came, the pain. Now that her pounding head was no longer obstructing her thinking the consequences of what she had done came bearing down on her in full force.

It was _unfathomable_.

After everything, she had let him walk away, _just like that_. She closed her eyes fighting back the tears that threatened her eyes, but inside she knew it was a losing battle. She slid her back against the door until she fell upon the floor, drawing her knees up to her chest.

What possessed her to kiss him, the man in blue? She was always trying to wind the Doctor up in that playful and silly manner they had grown accustom to. Was this some sort of sick game she had played? Was she subconsciously daring him to act? Did she expect him to rip her from his double's arms and take her for himself? A large part of her wish he had, but he hadn't, had he?

Her gut lurched as she realized what she had done. To him it had appeared she had chosen this new... copy over _her_ Doctor. Oh how she must have hurt him! He didn't even say goodbye. But could she blame him? How could he? She flung herself at another man. She promised him forever and she let him just walk away. And now he would never know that she broke the kiss to run after him.

So here she was, Rose Tyler. Defender of reality, of time and matter itself. Her warning of the approaching darkness had restored the heavens and saved the cosmos, but it had indeed come at a cost. And the cost was that she would never see the man she loved again.

She drug herself up to her feet and collapsed into her over-sized bed, the weight of the weary day and years of inadequate sleep zapping her strength. But sleep wouldn't come. She muffled a sob into her pillow, the tears flowing freely.

* * *

Slowly, the Doctor opened his eyes to discover he didn't immediately recognize where he was. He jerked up, sunlight flooding through the tall windows, flanked by heavy drapes. Slouching back down into the overstuffed arm of the cream colored couch, he rubbed his hands over his face, attempting to chase away the sleepiness still plaguing him.

_Rose. _She must have gotten up in the night.

He threw his lanky legs over the couch, Pete's borrowed striped pajamas swallowing his thin frame as he stood. He struggled to find his balance for half a second- much longer than he was used to. Blimey he felt off. Even after hours of sleep, his body felt heavy and weary and overly warm. He was feeling so many new and different sensations he felt like a stranger in his own skin. How did humans stand it?

The house was still. The only noises to be had were the ticking of the mahogany and gold clock upon the mantel and the soft sounds of the heat pushing up from the vent on the oak hardwood floors. _Seven Thirty Five AM. Hm, their clock was off by two minutes and fourteen seconds. _Well at least his time sense was still in tact. Wandering into the kitchen, he half expected to see Rose but she was nowhere to be found.

He frowned.

It was hardly to be unexpected. She was likely just upstairs getting dressed for the day. Still, he couldn't help but feel a bit melancholy that he didn't get the chance to wake with her in his arms. He had only been separated from her for a few hours and already he was itching to see her again, to smell her hair, to memorize the feel of her weight against his chest, wanting to hold her to convince himself that she was real. That _he _was real.

He found himself at the top the stairs walking past the sightless glares of the many portraits lining the halls until he reached her bedroom door. He laid his ear against it. Nothing. _Curious._ Perhaps she had come back upstairs to sleep in her own room. Such a notion slightly bothered him. Was she perhaps upset with him?

_Well, yes, you idiot. _There was a rather high probability that she _was_ upset with how things were handled yesterday. He found himself rubbing at his eyes guiltily as he stood before her door. He really had taken her companionship for granted, hadn't he? Perhaps he had assumed things would just pick up where they were before without a hitch. Maybe it wasn't going to be that easy.

It used to be so effortless, their relationship. And for one shining moment during that kiss he thought everything was going to be okay. That they'd say goodbye to the other Doctor and wish him well. That they'd walk back to civilization hand-in-hand laughing at the impossibility of it all. She'd tell him all about her new world, about all the good she was doing defending the earth. He'd tell her about his adventures, they'd catch a ride back to London and on the way they'd plan their life together. For one shining moment the world was theirs for the taking. But she tore away with the closing of the TARDIS door and she'd been in a sorry state since. He skimmed his fingertips along the crevices of the oaken bedroom door distractedly. She probably just needed rest. Best not to bother her.

So engrossed in his thoughts was he that his feet moved of their own volition to the room across from hers which Pete had so graciously offered him the night before. Knowing that attempting to fall back asleep was futile, he sluggishly made his way into his room to ready himself for the day.

_Blimey._ The meta-crisis seemed to be depleting his energy at a much faster rate than he was accustomed to as a Time Lord. As a matter of fact, everything felt off. His heart felt downright alien. To be fair, _it was_. And breathing was rubbish now that he had no respiratory bypass system. Everything seemed to take just a bit more effort. Even his hearing and his reflexes had been dulled, though he wagered they were still better than that of the average human.

Yawning, he shut the door and turned to find his blue suit had been pressed and cleaned and was now draped along his rather large bed, a pile of random things he happened to have in his pockets stacked neatly next to it. No doubt his trans-dimensional pockets gave someone pause for thought when they emptied them. His smirk was short lived when he made one keen observation: there was no sonic screwdriver in the pile. _Add that to the list of things to get used to_, he thought ruefully. There lay a bit of wire, a transmitter he had planned on tinkering with, some nifty string, and his first edition signed copy of The Time Machine that he had taken along on one of this adventures. He stood staring at all that he had to his name with a resigned sigh.

Well, no sense in lingering on the topic. Time for a diversion. _No_, time for a shower. And time for an appraisal of the new face while he was at it.

Shuffling into the tiled bathroom adjacent to his room, he ran his hand along his jawline as he examined himself in the mirror. Seemed his face was more or less exactly as he remembered it, thank the goddess Fortuna for that. There would undoubtedly be more biological differences to be discovered along the way but he could deal with them so long as he wasn't some unnatural and unsightly mix of Donna and himself in the face. Besides, he had always been rather fond of this particular face.

He stood back and adjusted his eyes. Well, make that one more difference. It seemed his vision had been slightly affected as well. "Lovely_,_" he announced disdainfully to himself. "More and more human by the minute." Dropping his gaze with another sigh, he slowly unbuttoned his borrowed top.

The biggest change by far, however, was the silence. He couldn't sense the gentle presence of the TARDIS any longer. Aching crunched his insides in response to this thought. Ah, his TARDIS. Deep down he knew she would be alright. He would take care of her, the proper Time Lord. Still, he was on the slow path now. There was no changing that. And now more than ever he felt alone. He had lost his one constant companion throughout the better part of a millennium.

So what was he now if he wasn't a Time Lord and had no TARDIS? Those two steady truths had defined him for centuries and now neither applied. He appraised his half naked form in the mirror searching for some secret revelation hidden in his physique. No ingenious epiphany came to squash his creeping self doubt. Perhaps he should face the new truth: perhaps he was just a man. Perhaps he was meant to do great deeds no longer. Perhaps, like most humans, he was meant to wither and die without ever making a difference again.

He pushed the dismal thoughts from his mind as he turned on the hot tap and waited as the water slowly heated, filling the luxuriously tiled shower with billowing clouds of steam.

To be fair, he was only _part _human and for that matter he had the one thing the proper Time Lord could never hope to have- a chance at an everyday life with Rose. The last great adventure. The biggest of them all.

Nine hundred years it took him to get close enough to fall in love with someone. It had taken that long to convince himself that he was worthy of happiness and it was all thanks to the efforts of one impossible woman who refused to accept that he was beyond saving, who refused to accept that they couldn't be together, and who bent the laws of the universe to make it so. The larger feat was not the latter but the former. She had reached into him and changed him completely. She was an unrelenting ray of sunshine in the heart of the raging storm.

And he would love her for it for the rest of their days, no matter how many they had. He couldn't stop the smile that spread upon his part-human face as he stepped into the water.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

For Rose, sleep had come in the early hours of the morning, but it was far from restful. Under the ominous light of twenty-six planets he stood, a streak of brown oh-so-distant with that achingly familiar blue box standing tall and majestic behind him. With all her might, she ran toward him, but no matter how far she ran she was no closer. Stretching out her hand in desperation, she cried out. He turned, looking upon her with mere indifference, and without so much as a word he spun around, slammed the TARDIS door and left.

Gasping, she sat up in bed, her room alight with the eastern sun pouring in through the window. The memories of the day before came rushing forward. The line between dream and real life was so blurred it was irrelevant. Waking was no relief to her pain.

"Oh Rose, please eat something, darling!" Jackie pleaded half an hour later. "You haven't eaten hardly anything the past day."

Rose settled in an oak chair at the kitchen table with her cold hands clasped around a steaming cup of tea, but she hadn't taken so much as a sip. Instead she was pensive and silent, staring out of the large window overlooking the rear of the pristine Tyler Estate. She had thrown on worn jeans and a thread worn light-weight cotton pink jacket, her messed blond hair slightly draping her shoulders. It was a look she feared to one such as her mother told a far deeper story than what was visible on the surface, no doubt stirring memories of days past cycling around once more. A slow yawn overtook her.

"Oh now don't you start that again, missy. You were in a right state the last time with all the brooding and mopin' about. You can't keep livin' like this, sweetheart. You'll do yourself in!"

Perhaps Rose's dreadful mood was to blame, but she found the sudden transition of this woman from fearless avenger to nagging mother most aggravating. She snorted at the irony. Surely her mum felt the same of her- Rose Tyler, defender of the earth, reduced to this. _Again._ Ever the hovering type, the nagging was likely to only continue unless she did something to appease her. Rose looked upon the toast smeared with marmalade on the plate beneath her. Reluctantly, she took a small bite of the toast then dropped it back onto the plate. It was tasteless, coarse, and unpleasant, a lost cause. Forcing herself would only result in her losing the meal later on. She braced herself for the onslaught but could do no more to prevent it. Pushing her plate away, she took a small sip of tea.

Jackie sighed. "Do you want to talk about it?"

Rose shook her head in defeat and looked down. "There's nothing to say really. It's over. He's never coming back. No more searching, no more dimension cannons, he left of his own accord." Stating the words out loud brought on a fresh wave of hurt, as if acknowledging it somehow solidified the matter, making what was once just a horrifying nightmare now the horrifying truth.

"Oh but aren't you forgetting the other one, what did they call him, a meta... meta somethin'? What about him? You sure snogged him good enough on that beach."

Rose felt her face flush in a swell of embarrassment, and shortly after a healthy dose of guilt. "I... uh... I didn't mean to mum. It just happened all so fast. I can't believe I even did that. I mean, I don't even really know him and I practically _threw_ myself at him, and in front of the Doctor," she said with a shake of her head, eyes darting up to the tray ceiling. "God I can be so thick sometimes!"

"Well he looks close enough to the real thing to me! And he's here with you now." Jackie paused looking upon her with a thoughtful expression. "He did say he loved you, sweetie. Doesn't that count for somethin'?"

Roses eyes grew big as she let out a long breath. "That's just it. He can't be the same man, could he? Because _my_ Doctor... he couldn't say it." Her eyes moistened once more. Despite the nearly identical face, they were so different, the pair of them. In the course of one day this new man had been closer to her than the Doctor had ever allowed, kissing her, holding her throughout the journey home, even drawing her a bath! And then last night, the way he held her, her Doctor had never held her that way.

"Oh, I dunno. Why don't you ask him yourself?" asked Jackie, picking up Rose's uneaten plate of food and throwing the toast in the bin. "Maybe he could explain it to you."

Rose quickly shook her head no. "I can't. I can't... face him right now." How could she? If they hadn't kissed maybe... maybe_ he_ wouldn't have walked away. And she wasn't ready to see his face again anyway, the face she knew and missed for so long and yet couldn't bring herself to look at, not now. Everything was just too confusing.

There was a shuffle outside the kitchen. Rose jumped up, nearly knocking over her mug. In a smear of pink she retreated out the back the door.

"Rose?" the Doctor asked as the closing french door came into view. He frowned as he watched her dash into the garden. "What was that about?"

Though Rose had darted beyond their view, Jackie sighed as she continued to idly watch the window. "I dunno. She actin' funny. She's just like she was before... when it happened the first time."

He shifted his weight listening more intently. When it was clear she wasn't going to continue, he prompted, "What was she like the first time?" He wasn't entirely sure he wanted to know what happened after their separation that fateful day, yet he couldn't seem to stop himself from asking.

Jackie set her tea on the wooden table and looked up at him, her blond brow wrinkled in motherly concern. "She wasn't the same. Not 'tall. She wouldn't eat, lost all that weight, hardly laughed any. It wasn't until she started working on that cannon stuff that she started to turn 'round. Said she couldn't sit 'round and do nothing. Said he was gonna get you back. But then it was like there was nothing else in her life. Every moment was spent obsessing about quantum this, dimensional that... She hardly ever came home 'til I made her move back in. Tony was the only thing that seemed to lighten her spirits. Don't get me wrong, I am glad that she's here with us, it just seemed that even though she's been here... she hasn't been here. Not really."

His countenance fell at her words. It sounded like it had been as bad for her as it had been for him then. Dark memories of his own torment came into his mind's view- of touching the wall where she had just been, of being cut off right before he could tell her what he had never told anyone else before in his nine-hundred years, of the pain that seemed to be obvious to everyone around him despite his attempts to hide it. But Rose didn't have traveling to occupy her mind, nor did she have centuries of experience at dealing with pain and loss.

Jackie's voice snapped him out of his trance. "Still though, I dunno why she's avoiding you now." She turned to grab another porcelain mug from the richly stained mahogany cupboard.

The Doctor's eyes widened at her comment. Perhaps she _did_ leave in the middle of the night to be on her own.

"Tea?"

"No thanks," he said hardly before she got the word out. "Did she say anything?"

"Well I don't know what's going on! Why don't you ask _her_? I swear, I'm not a ruddy pigeon for goodness sakes!" She returned the cup to the shelf and stood for a moment. Slowly, she turned. "Go to her."

"I'm not sure that's a good idea, Jackie," he admitted ruefully, an uncomfortable lump in his throat. "She doesn't seem to want to talk to me right now."

"But she needs you." Jackie's appraising eyes studied him for a moment before adding, "and to be honest you look like you could use some cheerin' up yourself."

* * *

Quite under-dressed for the weather, Rose sat upon a stone bench looking out at the well manicured garden before her. The November air nipped relentlessly at her thin cotton jacket, a humid piercing cold nearly strong enough to make her rethink her quest for solitude, or at least the location.

She never thought she would be back here again. Beautiful as it was even in the bitter cold it felt wrong. But then it always had. This wasn't her universe. This wasn't her London. It wasn't her home, not really. Suddenly finding herself a rich heiress was not as easy a transition as one would expect, at least not for a humble girl from the Powell Estate who had no interest in being waited on like some dignitary. Nor did she enjoy finding herself in the media spotlight as Pete Tyler's recently discovered secret daughter who supposedly spent the better part of her life spent locked up in boarding school (or so the story went). It was a constant reminder that she was far from where she wanted to be.

She glanced back toward the house silently wondering if the alternate Doctor had seen her running away. Her cheeks flushed as bright as her jacket. What would he think of her? She had once stared down the emperor of the Daleks. She was staring _Davros_ in the face just two days ago for heaven's sake! But this... now _this_ was frightening. What was she going to say to him? She didn't even know what to think.

The truth of the matter was he wasn't her doctor. Maybe he had stolen memories of another, but it was all wrong. _He_ was wrong. He was part Donna which meant whatever exactly he was, he was definitely not _her_ Doctor. Nothing could change that. And it was a rather large assumption of her Time Lord to assume that he was in any way replaceable, clone or no. It wasn't the same because she had made her promise to _him_. And hadn't he made her a promise too? That she could spend her life with him? That he wouldn't just leave her? _Not to you_, he said. But that's exactly what he had done.

What had up until that point been solidified as truth now was rapidly crumbling under her scrutiny. She wondered if maybe he never did feel for her like she had felt for him. How could he let someone else take his place if she really meant something to him? But then this new man whispered the most wonderful sentence in her ear. If they had the same memories then why couldn't her Doctor say it too?

It was a testament to the depth of her despair that she didn't hear him approach. Sneaking up on a Torchwood agent was no small feat, even for a part Time Lord. Suddenly she heard the sound of trainers on the pavement and she whirled around to find the new Doctor looking down at her with concern etched on his brow.

"Rose?" he asked gently, peering down upon her moist doe eyes wide with fright. "I've just come to see if..." He wasn't sure how to continue. It had been so long since he had tried to comfort her, and trying to do so while she cried over him (well, in a manner of speaking) was both empathetic and domestic, neither being a particular strength of his. Sighing he took a step forward. "Do you... need anything? To talk or ..."

She broke him off. "No. No I um, I just need some time," she nodded turning to look back at the garden- anywhere but at him.

"Well... I'm..." he nervously tugged on his ear before continuing, "I'm here. If you need anything, just let me know." Oh he was rubbish at this.

She nodded out of politeness but she was mortified enough as it was at him seeing her in such a state. It was hardly her at her best and hardly the Rose he had committed to memory. Nor was it something she felt like talking about, especially not with someone who so very much resembled the man who put her in this state to begin with no matter how entreating those lovely dark sensitive eyes of his were. Nope. Not gonna happen. "Yeah. I will" she replied brusquely without looking up.

He was taken aback by her short reply. Despite the seemingly innocent words spoken, her tone of voice clearly inferred that his services would no longer be required. His stomach churned. What had changed so quickly between last night and today? He wanted nothing more but to pull her into his arms and hold her close as he had done by the fire the night before. No, even closer still. He had been separated from her _far_ too long. And here she was, just an arm's length away and yet so out of reach. At a loss for what to do, he turned to leave.

But he couldn't.

"Rose, I- did I do something... _wrong_?" Desperately he thought back, struggling to think what offense he may have inflicted upon her.

Her form went rigid. "No, no," she assured, still avoiding eye contact. "I just need some time to... think."

Perfectly understandable_. _Hardly an unreasonable request given the circumstances. _Though... _He eyed her breath and the pink upon her nose. A chill that had little to do with the frosty air ran down his spine at the memory of the previous day, her shivering form, numb with shock, dripping and silent, nothing like the warm girl he knew. Instinctively he took off his jacket. It was over her shoulders before she could protest.

"I'm fine," she growled.

"Rose it's been less than twelve hours since you were experiencing moderate hypothermia. Do you know what kinds of effects it can have on the human b-"

She shut him up with one piercing look. It wasn't that she was ungrateful for his chivalrous, if not slightly patronizing gesture, but the fact that he, like his counterpart, seemed to think he knew what was best for her was starting to grate on her nerves. She was an adult. She could manage a bit of cold just fine. She had planned a retort but upon seeing the dismay in his familiar dark eyes her glare involuntarily softened. "I won't be long, I promise," she assured, her voice cracking at the pain of seeing his face. She shrugged off his jacket. "Please, just..." Her voice trailed off as she looked away.

_Oh Rose._ His heart squeezed for her. Sorrowfully, he pulled his blue suit coat off of the stony bench and tugged it back over his thin frame wishing she would at least allow him to wrap his arms around her to warm and comfort her as she had done the night, but he could see she was in no mood for company. Reluctantly he departed, hoping that whatever she needed to sort through didn't keep her out in the cold for long, nor, figuratively, _him_.

She listened to his footsteps fade but couldn't bring herself to look until she heard the door latch closed in the distance. Guilt slid into her throat. He hadn't really done anything wrong. She just couldn't bring herself to confront him yet. Oh how to let him down easy?


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

The Doctor stood at the window of his room on the second floor peaking down at Rose's still form in the garden below, his mildly aching hand parting a pair of silk brown curtains. He didn't know where else to go or what else to do. It wasn't like him to feel so... helpless. Oh what he would do if he could only have his TARDIS again! He hated feeling stuck in one place and in one time. He hated relying on the generosity of Pete and Jackie for everything. He hated having a room at all with carpets and curtains and... _doors_. Most of all though, he hated seeing Rose like this. More than anything he wanted to whisk her away, to take her back home on the TARDIS and make her smile again. But he couldn't. Not anymore. Not ever again.

With relief, he watched as she finally stood and went back inside. _Thank goodness._ He didn't want her out there in her susceptible condition. Didn't she know it drove him mad to see her like that? Instinctively he turned to go to her but forced himself to stop. As much as he wanted to, she needed space. _And time_, he thought wryly smiling at the irony. What good was he then, a Time Lord, _well part Time Lord_ he reminded himself, who couldn't fix this?

Turning again he looked at his new home. _Temporary home_, he affirmed. He was not going to live in Jackie's house indefinitely. He shuddered at the thought.

Still though, it was a nice enough place. A bit overdone but comfortable. His king sized bed stood before him, carved out of wood and covered with a cream comforter. A brass lamp sat beside the bed on a coordinating table. On the other side of the room stood a matching wardrobe it's door still open from this morning which held nothing but that pair of Pete's pajamas and a borrowed robe.

The dull aching which had begun in his right hand soon throbbed. Then his very bones seized up with pain, his fingers curling involuntarily in protest. Clutching his arm, he looked down only to realize the pain had gone as soon as it had come, though not without leaving him feeling entirely spent and feverish.

A quick knock at the door startled him as he whirled around. Pete gently pushed the door open ever so slightly. "Sorry," he said taking a step back. "Didn't mean to sneak up on you."

"Oh no, not at all!" he grinned widely at him, taking a few purposefully steady steps forward to open the door. "Please, do come in. And thank you so much for your hospitality."

Pete entered waving his hand. "Oh it's nothing. Least I can do. After all I have you to thank for the safe return of my wife and daughter." He lowered his shining head slightly. "Thank you for that," he spoke, the sincerity in voice evident.

The Doctor simply nodded. "Of course. _Yes_," he reaffirmed. "Glad it all worked out," he finished exuberantly.

"I don't understand though," Pete began, placing his hands on his hips and shifting his weight. "Jackie said... well she said you weren't really him."

The Doctor's brows fell. "Well... yes and no. I was the Doctor, but I was fatally wounded two days ago. Instead of dying Time Lords regenerate. They physically change bodies while their minds, their memories, their _essence,_ remains. Well I didn't want to change, so to avoid regenerating I used the energy to heal and then siphoned off the extra regeneration energy into my hand here," he explained wriggling the fingers on his right hand with a smile. "This hand had been cut off in a sword fight by a nasty fellow a while back. Never mind him, anyway, the old me grew another hand but ended up keeping this one on the ship. After the energy which contained my essence poured into this hand my companion Donna touched it starting a chain reaction resulting in the creation of this body. Voila! Instantaneous biological meta-crisis," he finished triumphantly, placing his hands in his pockets with a grin.

After seeing the confused look upon Pete's face, he continued. "Basically, I _was_ him and now I'm me. There's two of me. We're the same, except I am part human. I took on my companion's DNA. There are some physical differences, but the man inside hasn't changed."

Pete looked him over, sizing him up. He let his thoughts churn for a moment before extending his hand with a smile. "Well then, it's good to see you again, Doctor."

The Doctor cheerily returned his grasp. "And you!"

"To business then! May I speak with you in my office?" he asked, gesturing toward the door.

"Lead the way." He had an inkling as to what this was about, but he kept his suspicions to himself.

* * *

Finally succumbing to the cold, Rose sought the privacy of her room on the second floor, relieved to have avoided any unwanted encounters along the way as she felt a desperate need to sort out her thoughts uninterrupted. She curled herself up onto a floral armchair in the corner, hugging her knees to her chest.

_So what now?_

The last six years of her life had been dedicated to finding her way back to him. Maybe it was time to finally accept the truth. This was her world now. Her... _home_. Unlike before, she had her answer and the answer was no. There was nothing pushing her forward to get back to him any longer. The sting of rejection could either drive her into another tail spin, or she could use to catapult her into action. And Rose Tyler was a fighter. If she had learned anything from the Doctor, anything at all, it was to not just let things happen but take matters into her own hands. So she would do what she had done before: throw herself at her job with wild abandon, put her life on the line to make a difference, and try to grasp some echo of the life she had before while traveling the stars.

And what of this new man? The man who whispered the most amazing words in her ear? She hugged her legs even closer to her, resting her chin upon her knees deep in thought.

Those words weren't his to give. Neither was the kiss she planted upon his lips meant for him.

Yes, for a moment she found comfort in this new man's presence, but whatever she thought she felt during that kiss was not love for him but for someone else. She couldn't let the shadow of love for another influence her feelings for this new man. That wasn't fair to him.

Besides, after things had broken off with Mickey she had come to a realization: there would never be anyone else after the Doctor. How could there be? What could compare to that? She had promised her doctor forever and she meant it. She was done.

_He needs you._

His words echoed in her mind. As bad as things were for her, it would have to be worse for him. He was stranded here without his TARDIS, his constant companion. The real Doctor abandoned him too.

Rose took in a deep breath and sat up. Whoever this man was, it didn't matter. Her Doctor said he needed looking after. At least she could do that much. She would put on a brave face for both of them because this man had undoubtedly been hurt too. The Doctor had left this man here with absolutely nothing to his name and no way to reclaim the only life he knew, a man who was terrified of mortgages and domestics, a man with stars in his blood. Now he was stuck on a foreign earth a universe away from home. She would help him pick up the shattered pieces of his life. She could show him friendship and temper his excesses if he let her, so long as he didn't hurt her, because once was bad enough, twice was hell, but _three_ times... three times might just break her permanently.

Suddenly the door flew open and a bouncing blond boy in a blue-striped shirt came barreling toward her waving a sheet of paper.

"Look, Rosie! I made you a picture!" he said, nearly shouting with excitement. "It's a zeppelin. See?" he explained pointing out the corresponding blobs of crayon. "That's you, that's mum, and that's dad."

Rose smiled, looking down at the colorful lopsided drawing of her little brother. "Oh how lovely! What a good artist you are," she said scooping him up into a hug. "Thank you so much, Tony." Of all the things she was glad to have back again, her brother was the most precious.

His eyes shone with excitement. "Did it make you feel better? Mum said if I drew you a picture you would feel better and maybe you would come back out of your room."

With a healthy flush to her cheeks, she managed a small smile. Was it that obvious to everyone? "Of course," she replied, patting his head affectionately. "How could I not like such a nice present from my favorite little brother?"

He beamed at her. "Can you help me draw another one for the blue man? He seems sad too."

And just like that, her grin evaporated. Uncertainty mixed with guilt inside her as she forced another smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. "Sure. Let's go find the crayons, shall we?" She stood, letting Tony lead the way.

* * *

"Well I'll get straight to the point," said Pete as he and the Doctor entered his study. "You'll need a proper life now that you're living here." He sat down in his leather office chair as the Doctor did the same in one of the two chairs in front on the desk. "I'm offering you a job."

The Doctor raised an eyebrow. _That didn't take long_, he smirked to himself. Shifting uncomfortably, he tugged at the collar of his burgundy t-shirt. He still felt a bit warm.

"You are an extraordinary man, Doctor. There's no better expert than you when it comes to alien life. As head of Torchwood I am extending to you the position of senior consultant."

The Doctor took in a deep breath. Oh what to do? Did he want to work for an organization that nearly caused the collapse of two universes? Well... no. But Rose was there. That in and of itself told him it had to be different than the version he was acquainted with back home. And where Rose was he would follow- if she'd have him.

"It's just a title," said Pete encouragingly attempting to judge his reaction. "You can do anything you want really. And judging by what I know of you and what Jackie and Rose have described about you, that's all you ever do anyway."

He laughed imagining the colorful tales Jackie must have spun about his many personality quirks. "Well, they'd be right. I've worked as a consultant of sorts in the past. But..." He stopped, tugging his ear as he leaned forward. "I'm not too keen on being Torchwood's mad scientist. I won't be your weapon and if I don't like something, it stops."

He could see Pete's jaw working silently, but he didn't object. Instead he dipped his head in acknowledgment.

"And," the Doctor continued. "Even then I'm not sure it's a good idea. Rose... works with you, yeah?"

"Yes, she's one of our top agents," he said proudly.

_Naturally._ The Doctor smiled briefly. "Well, right now I am not sure what she thinks of …" he paused. "... of any of this." With each passing moment he grew more worrisome over his relationship with Rose. She was so hard to read right now. He had hoped she just needed time, but what if that meant time away from him?

Pete studied him before nodding slowly. "Well, think it over."

The Doctor nodded in return. "I will, Pete. Thank you."

* * *

If anyone could pull Rose back from the melancholy it was Tony. Her little brother had been the one spark in the dark- the one person able to make her laugh no matter what the circumstance. As he vigorously scribbled upon various papers spread about a large lavish coffee she felt the anxiety ebb. Quiet moments like these were a gift and she was glad to have the unexpected chance to enjoy them again. Her mum was nursing a cup of tea as she watched them from the edge of the kitchen, no doubt relieved to see her perked up and pleased her little scheme had worked. Course her mum was always sending Tony to perk her up. She couldn't bring herself to mind as she gave him a good tickle.

The Doctor followed the sound of laughter down the grand staircase to find them there, lighting up to see her so alive. Now _that_ was the Rose he remembered. Oh how it made him happy to see her smile again! He leaned his lanky figure into the wall unnoticed, observing quietly. It didn't take long for Jackie to blow his cover, announcing his presence with a grumbled "mornin'".

Rose's trepid eyes shot up at him, catching a warm expression upon his painfully handsome face which caused her heart to simultaneously leap and just as quickly sink. "Hello," she breathed.

"Hello," he replied grinning, not seeming to catch the sorrow in her eyes as he took a step forward. Before he could go any further however, Tony was at his knees.

"Doctor! Doctor I made something for you!" he shouted eagerly. He unceremoniously shoved his work of art at the doctor.

Bemused he looked down at the paper with a blue rectangle and small yellow blob drawn above it. His eyes lit up in recognition. "Oh why that's brilliant!" he exclaimed crouching down to the little boy's level. "You've drawn the TARDIS! And you've done a marvelous job at that!" he said, his exuberance matching that of Tony's. "Who told you about the TARDIS?"

"Rose did!" he replied jumping in the air excited to have this man's attention. "She tells me bedtime stories about flying in the TARDIS with the Doctor."

He looked up at her, beaming. "Does she really?"

"Yes, yes. Can we see it, Doctor? Can we see the TARDIS?" he pleaded bouncing on the balls of his feet.

Rose bit her lip, wondering if perhaps she should have steered Tony to draw something else. She didn't want this Doctor to have to think about his ship right now, but it had been Tony's idea and she couldn't bear to stop him. After all, little Tony had grown to idolize the Doctor.

To her surprise, the smile never left his face as he responded. "Oh, well I wish I could little fella. Unfortunately my blue box is with someone else right now," he replied.

"Really, who?"

"Why the Doctor of course!" he replied warmly.

Tony's eyes fell. "But... mum said _you_ are the Doctor. You are, aren't you?"

He felt Rose's eyes on him as he carefully worded his response. "Yes, yes I am," he nodded. "There are two of us now. The Doctor, and the new Doctor. Or... the new new _new_ Doctor if you will," he replied, glancing up at Rose with a wink and a smirk. He knew the reference wouldn't be lost on her. She managed to smile knowingly back at him, relieved to see that Tony's charms worked on him too.

Upon Jackie's request, the little boy went running to show her as well. He stood looking on with his hands in his pockets as the little boy energetically recounted the explanation of his work of art to his mother. "So that's him, eh? The brother? How old is he then?" he asked lightheartedly as he glanced her way. The real question he was asking was how long it had been for her since Bad Wolf Bay but he didn't let it show in his voice.

Rose pushed herself up onto the couch. "Five," she nodded. Then she added, "how long has it been since..."

"Three years, seven months, fourteen days," he responded, deciding against giving her a hour, minute, second countdown. Though he could.

Rose's eyebrows lifted at his response. "Oh," she replied dumbly, not knowing what else to say.

Luckily it was Jackie who spoke next. "Well now that you're both up and about it's time you went out and got some things round the shops. You can't go wearing that old thing every day," Jackie asserted looking him over with disdain.

Not even trying to hide the offense taken, he grabbed the lapels of his coat. "Oi! I look great," he responded snidely with a sniff. "And sure I can. Mind you it'd be a lot of laundry but I could manage. Besides, it beats the alternative any day. _Hate_ shopping, me," he finished with a smirk.

"She's right you know," Rose commented. "You haven't even got a toothbrush! Besides, I can go with you, if you want." She strengthened her resolve, determined to be there for him as a friend in any way she could. After all, this man had been left with absolutely nothing.

He turned looking her way, a lopsided smile slowly creeping up his face. Suddenly shopping didn't sound so bad. "Oh alright then." He gestured to the left cocking his head to the side. "Allons-y, _Rose Tyler_!"


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

The Doctor's attempt at small talk did little to ease the queasiness in Roses stomach as she drove, though not for lack of trying. "So, tell me about this job of yours. Working with dear old dad then, eh?" he prompted in a change of subject.

"Oh," Rose began. "Well, I would tell you about it but that's classified information," she teased looking his way briefly, her tongue between her teeth.

His heart flipped to see her smile in that entrancing and incredibly distracting way with her pleasantly pink tongue perched between her teeth like so. Never could resist her anything when she used that one on him. He shook off his distraction and countered. "Rose, my very _existence_ is classified information being part alien and all. I'm pretty sure you can tell me."

"True," she responded with a small laugh. "Well it's at lot of the same things I did before with... with the Doctor only minus the time traveling," she explained, the lightness in her voice fading at the mentioning of _his_ name.

His eyes fell slightly at her referring to the Doctor instead of him but he didn't interject.

"We investigate possible alien encounters and we neutralize any threats," she continued. There's a lot of diplomacy involved as well. This earth has been giving intergalactic political asylum to other species but we've been keeping it quiet. This world hasn't had a full scale alien invasion so a lot of people don't even believe in aliens. I mean, sure they know about the Cybermen but they weren't technically alien were they?"

"By neutralize you mean..."

Rose smiled once more. "They agree to stay out of trouble or we ship them home."

He grinned, happy to hear that her compassion was still very much intact. "Rose Tyler," he said proudly. "Defender of the earth."

She smiled sheepishly. "Well it wasn't all about aliens. Well... I guess in a round about way it was. A lot of my time lately was spent on the dimension cannon. I went to school and got a masters in engineering and physics too. I was the overseer of the project."

He couldn't help but beam at her. Not only was he thoroughly impressed by her abilities to do what even he thought was impossible by crossing between parallel worlds, she had done it to find _him_ again. But that in a nut shell was Rose Tyler: the impossible girl. Fearless and driven, nothing got in her way. "You're brilliant!" he stated affectionately.

"Thank you," she responded smugly. She glanced his way to see him still watching her and her cheeks flushed ever so slightly at his expression. Maybe this was a bad idea. He was testing her resolve looking at her that way. She cleared her throat. "Well here we are then," she declared in relief, pulling in next to a large mall.

The Doctor looked about as he shut the car door. They stood at the base of an enormous multilevel department store, not unlike the one he had rescued her from so many years ago. But there was no adventure to be found this time around. Nope. This time he was here for something far worse. "Riiiiight. _Shopping,_" he muttered, popping the 'p'. As he stood in the shadow of the looming the building, he found himself wondering how something so ordinary could be so comically imposing. Then with a start, he realized Rose was far ahead. He had to nearly sprint across the lot to catch up with her just as she entered the automatic sliding glass doors.

"Well, where would you like to start?" she asked as they entered the busy building. When he didn't answer, she turned to see an utterly lost look upon his face. "Oh sure, save the universe any day but take you shopping and you're useless! Come on then," she said pushing him toward the men's suits as a sales associate introduced himself.

"Right," said Rose to the young man. "We'll need two suits, several shirts, and two pairs of shoes." She nudged him forward slightly once more. "And I'll be over this way."

"Oi! Wait a minute! Where are _you_ off to then?" This was only bearable because she was there with him after all. "Still wandering off I see," he cracked towards her departing form.

"Oh I hardly think there's any trouble here," she called out to him over her shoulder.

"You never know, Rose Tyler!" he quipped, stealing a suspicious look at the mannequin next to him.

Turning, Rose stifled a laugh to see him so very put out, his boyish features pouting much like a child who just had his favorite toy snatched away. "Look I know how much you hate shopping. We'll get out of here faster if we divide and conquer, yeah? Besides, I won't be far. Just having a look at ties," she reasoned, nodding her head off to the right.

As much as he didn't want her to go, the thought of getting out of there faster was enough for him to admit that she had a point. He nodded glumly in agreement as she disappeared. Outwitted by Rose Tyler. With a sigh the Doctor turned toward the associate. "Oh alright then. Off we go," he moaned, tugging at his ear in frustration.

* * *

If the Doctor hadn't been part Time Lord and known better he would have sworn it took longer than an hour and half before they made their final purchases. He rather enjoyed browsing markets in far off lands but having to buy stuff out of necessity was off-putting. _Still_, he thought to himself looking at the lovely blond woman beside him, _could be worse_.

Bags in hand they made their way toward the smell of food, his request. It felt so natural to be walking next to her. If he hadn't been carrying so much he would have taken her hand in his. He settled for bumping her shoulder playfully with a bright smile as they strolled along.

She responded with a cautious smile of her own, her brow wrinkling at the sight of him. His dark hair was slightly disheveled, flatter than usual, his face speckled with stubble, but at that moment he was more real and more handsome than she had ever seen him. And happier too. He looked so carefree with that signature Doctor smile and she wondered just how he could walk so surely with the air of man who wanted for nothing when he had lost absolutely everything.

"Oh!" he suddenly exclaimed stopping them both. "_Oh, oh_ _oh_! Do you smell that? Chips!" He inhaled deeply with a manic grin. "Come on!" He led the way with far too much enthusiasm toward a fish and chip restaurant in the food court. He didn't notice that she had lagged behind.

She hadn't had chips since she had been in the parallel world. The memories were just too strong. The mere smell of them was enough to make her nauseous in the past. As silly as she felt, she couldn't help but feel nervous at the prospect of trying to eat one in front of this man and failing horribly.

Meal in hand, they took a seat among the several tables and chairs that lined the area. With a surge of defiance she looked upon her plate and laughed silently. When did something so trivial as eating a chip become so very symbolic? She took a deep breath, the smell of salt and oil wafting over her before taking the plunge and plopping one in her mouth.

_Heaven._ "Oh these are good!" All that time she had denied herself such a simple pleasure, and for what?

"Agreed," he replied busily downing his chips.

She couldn't help but laugh at his manners or lack thereof as he happily stuffed his mouth full, totally oblivious to her small victory. "Blimey, you must be hungry. Did the meta-crisis give you two stomachs?" she teased. Ever the exemplary pinnacle of fine dining etiquette, him. For someone who knew so much about culture he was rather... well... _uncultured_ at times. Not that it mattered at a place like this. She'd like to see the look on her mum's face if he ever tried that at one of her posh charity functions.

"Nope! Weeeell, I don't think so anyway. Highly unlikely."

"But not impossible?" she added, nibbling at her meal with her eyebrow raised slightly.

He smiled brightly at her with a snort. "Exactly." He instinctively brought his hand forward to find hers but she hesitated beneath his grasp, her shoulders hunching. Tilting his head to the side he looked at her questioningly, his kind eyes inspecting hers as he chewed. "Is something wrong?" he asked concerned.

Rose's face felt hot as she took a deep breath. "No, no, I'm fine," she lied tucking a strand of blond hair behind her ear with her other free hand as she stared downward at the table. He could still hold her hand as a friend, she rationalized. Nothing wrong with that. After all she and the real Doctor had been holding hands since the moment they'd met.

Bad idea. Thinking of him brought on a fresh wave of hurt. Looking up at him she suddenly saw her Doctor's face in his and she realized with a start that the hand holding hers was his, _really_ his. Emotional pain shot through her and she let out a small breath.

The Doctor clasped her hand tighter, bringing up his other hand around hers at seeing her in distress. "Rose what is it?" he demanded. "What's wrong?!"

"'S nothing," She winced. At that moment she couldn't take it any longer. "Please, don't." She took her hand back and folded her arms underneath the table, suddenly not hungry any longer, especially not for chips.

A bit taken aback at her reaction, his spirits once so high fell in an instant. _Time, _he reminded himself_. She said she needed time. Of course she did, how daft of me_, he chided himself. "I'm sorry," he spouted, rubbing the back of his neck.

"It's okay, really, I'm just..." her words caught in her throat. "Tired," she said finally settling on a word she hoped wouldn't offend him. It was still a ridiculous excuse.

His eyes narrowed as he scrutinized her. He wasn't at all convinced of her explanation. Seemed she was still grieving for him, the _other_ him. He leaned forward. "Rose, you should know that I..."

"Shall we go?" she cut him off with a forced smile.

Something was most definitely wrong. He surveyed her carefully, leaning back. "Yeah sure, fine. Ready when you are. Best not to quarrel with the designated driver after all." Regretfully leaving his meal half eaten, he grabbed his things as they departed.

An uncomfortable silence had settled between them on the way home. Try as he may to come up with something witty to say, he couldn't stop thinking about what had just happened. Last night when he held her he had hoped... and then this. He looked briefly her way. Best not bring it up now. Obviously she didn't want to talk about it.

While he was beyond nervous at the prospect of being left here to live the rest of his days without the TARDIS he had been brimming with hope at the thought of having a life with Rose- a hope that now seemed to be faltering. What if she had changed her mind? Maybe he could manage without the TARDIS, yes it's loss was raw and it would be almost unbearable, but life without the TARDIS _and_ Rose... He studied the profile of her face but saw no change in her demeanor. His jaw tensed.

And he still had yet to ask her about Pete's job offer. Well, he'd have to get around to it sooner or later. "Rose," he began, anxiously rubbing his right hand as it tingled once more. She stirred slightly at her name but didn't take her eyes from the road. "Pete offered me a consulting position at Torchwood."

She relaxed slightly. "Oh, well that's great. I mean, if that's what you want to do." Somehow thinking of the Doctor with a job seemed... wrong but of all the jobs to have on this world it was the best fit for him.

"What do you want?" he asked her point blank.

She nervously stole a glance his way. "What do you mean?"

"Look, I realize this was all sort of sudden," he said clearing his throat. "And... if you need time away from... _me_..." his voice trailed off.

She turned her head to find him gloomily peering out the window. Her heart went out to him. She was his only friend now, unless one counted her mum which was a stretch. No, she couldn't leave him all alone. "Um, no. That's fine. I don't mind." And despite her difficulty in being around him she felt his presence was also somewhat soothing, like having_ him_ there. "Anyway they could really use you. There's no one better for the job in all the universe as far as I'm concerned."

He turned to study her. Sadly her response wasn't as revealing as he had hoped it would be. He couldn't tell if she was just trying to be polite or if she truly meant it.

"Speaking of which, what are you going to do now. I mean, I'm sure mum and dad don't mind you staying at the mansion..."

Eyes wide, he gave out a long sigh, absently staring at the road in front of him. "Haven't got the foggiest."

"Well don't worry about it for now. I'm sure you'll think of something."

His spirits fell. Didn't she know? Hadn't he told her he wanted to be _with_ her? Obviously she wasn't of the same mindset. This quite upset him.

It didn't take long for her to notice the silence. Rose observed him. He was undeniably getting jittery. His foot was tapping impatiently in that tell-tale Doctor way, his face noticeably tense as he stared at the passing buildings. "Doctor? Are you going to be alright?"

He looked up at her quizzically.

"With day to day living I mean. Carpets and doors?" she clarified as she looked back and forth between him and the road worriedly. "None of this has to be permanent if you don't want it to be."

Oh but he did want something permanent, something very _very_ permanent with her.

The intensity of his gaze took her by surprise. "Doctor?"

"Hm?"

"Are you okay?"

"Right, um sorry," he said looking away. "Yes, fine. I'm always alright, me," he quietly added, looking out the window once more.

Rose knew that whatever was the matter it was decidedly _not_ alright. Seemed this Doctor was as good at lying as the other.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

After a taxing day, they had settled in for the evening, the Doctor retreating to his room to unload his new wardrobe. It appeared that in his absence at the mall Rose had taken it upon herself to purchase some striped pajamas, a robe, several t-shirts, socks, ties, and even a couple of pairs of converse trainers. His favorite purchase, however, was one that he made without her (with the aid of Rose's credit card after insisting he would pay her back once he got money). He carefully removed a long camel coat from a zipped bag and hung it in the wardrobe. It wasn't quite the same as his other coat but it would do. _Weeeell... at least until I get the trans-dimensional pockets installed... maybe. _He would have to get incredibly lucky to find components from Torchwood that would work to help with that but considering the unlikely set of circumstances which lead to his very existence he was willing to be hopeful.

His mind then flitted to Rose's subtle reactions throughout the day. While she was a tad irrational on occasion (though adorably so), he had always known her to be rather levelheaded. Seldom did she let her emotions cloud her judgment or actions which was good when you had things such as saving worlds to attend to. Flirty and fun, yes, compassionate too, but not hypersensitive or easily upset. The past twenty-four hours, however, had been a whirlwind of emotional states for her, far more than he previously witnessed in such a short time. One moment she was happy and smiling and the next she was tense and withdrawn. To be fair, she had plenty reason to be conflicted and confused. Accepting him would take time, for both of them actually. And how his other self had handled things surely made her upset. He let out a long sigh.

He had just started putting his socks away when a tingling sensation pricked at his fingers and palm once more. Stretching out his long thin fingers, he observed his hand inquisitively. It was an odd thing, having a full Time Lord hand and part human body. He was just pondering on whether or not his hand would age when the tingling turned in to pain then intense pain ripping down the tendons in his arm. Letting out a ragged hiss he clutched it doubling over, his body rapidly heating up. _Must. Breathe. Air. N__ow!_ Staggering into the cool air of balcony, he gripped the handrail gasping for breath. A splitting pain hammered deep into his brain as a long stream of golden energy escaped from his parted lips. Just as suddenly as it came, the pain stopped.

_Just residual artron energy, _he told himself as he watched the light trail off_. _Such episodes were typical of any regeneration. Seemed this time around was no different in that regard. Breathing heavily, he stepped back inside and rolled onto the bed until his racing heart calmed.

A quiet knock at the door startled him into a sitting position.

"Doctor? Did you need any help?" Rose's muffled voice asked from behind the wooden slab.

He staggered toward the door swinging it open, still slightly out of breath, beading sweat on his brow.

Her eyes widened at the sight of him. "All you alright?"

"Yep, fine and dandy," he lied. "And I've got it just about all put away, thank you though," he said turning to look at the pile on the bed but not widening the door enough for her to see.

"Well... mum's got dinner on, if you want to join us," she said gesturing toward the hall. A look of incredulous amusement crossed his face. She couldn't help but giggle. "Oh, don't be like that. She didn't actually _make_ the food. She's got a chef now," she said playfully bumping his shoulder with her fist.

He feigned mock relief as he stepped outside into the hallway closing the door behind him. "Well in _that case_ I'll give it a go. I don't mind staying here for the time being but I draw the line at your mother's cooking," he responded amid her laughter. Secretly he was relieved. He was ravenous. He hadn't had a proper meal since... _well_ since he'd been born.

The kitchen had endured quite the remodeling since the Doctor had been there the first time they had come to the parallel world. It seemed this Jackie had different tastes than her parallel counterpart. For one, she had insisted that they brighten the place up with a coat of sunny paint. It now had nick-knacks strewn across the counters and photographs hanging on the wall. She also insisted that the family dine at the smaller wooden table in the kitchen instead of the opulent dining hall around the corner. Many of the staff had also been let go from what he could see with only the landscaper, a maid, and chef staying behind. _Thank goodness for that_ he thought to himself when he saw the steaming roast at the table. Already seated were Pete and Tony as Jackie was pulling a chair out to sit.

"There you two are. Find what you needed today?" Jackie asked, looking at them from the corner of her eye.

"Yep. He's got a proper wardrobe now," Rose replied sitting across from them as the Doctor took a seat beside her.

"What are your plans for tomorrow?" Pete inquired, as they ate.

The Doctor looked up from his plate. "Er, well I'll have to check my calendar but as far as I know I'm free," he said with a cheeky smile. It wasn't like he had anything else going on.

"Good, then you can come to Torchwood for a tour," he said gruffly without skipping a beat. "Have you made a decision about my offer?"

Rose gave him an assuring smile. He grinned widely back at her. "Yes, and the answer is yes," he spoke, his eyes still on hers.

"That settles it then!" Pete said clasping in his hands. "You'll need a new identity. What do you want people to call you."

"Weeell," he began finally looking his way, "I would rather people call me what they always call me, _the Doctor_. But for practicality's sake I suppose you could use the name John Smith for any records." He mulled over that thought for a moment before adding with a grin. "John _Noble_ Smith." Oh Donna would have fussed about that. But like it or not she was sort of his mum now. Half sister at the least.

"Excellent," he mumbled as he ate. "We'll get your documents to you when you come over tomorrow."

"Oh that reminds me," Rose said excitedly. "I have a surprise for you!"

"Yeah?" the Doctor asked looking over at her delightedly, his curiosity now sufficiently spiked.

"Yep," she said popping the 'p'. "You're gonna love it! You can see it tomorrow."

"Love it?" he asked flirtatiously, inching closer. "How much?"

She smiled smugly over the top of her cup. "Oh, you'll see."

"Go on then, drop us a hint!" he begged.

She couldn't hide her amusement at seeing him so hopelessly snagged by the suspense. "Oh I wouldn't want to spoil the surprise," she responded, tongue between her teeth. "Let's just say it'll make your day."

Suddenly he couldn't wait until tomorrow.

Outside, the forgotten stream of golden regeneration energy silently ascended into the heavens, sparkling against the frozen sky.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

"Welcome to Torchwood Three," saluted the burly guard patrolling the entrance of a grimy warehouse as they drove inside. Much to the Doctor's surprise, they had in fact entered a hidden parking lot adjacent to what appeared to be an abandoned factory, the secret location of the base he assumed. After parking her little blue car, they made their way toward the lift, the asphalt lying cracked and crumbled beneath their feet. The cool air was persistent even within the confines of the facility he noted as he plunged his hands into his pockets. Despite feeling feverishly warm since the meta-crisis, he was starting to wish he had grabbed his trench coat and new pinstriped brown jacket. Regretfully he had only worn a button-up shirt and tie with his new brown trousers.

Once inside, they walked through a maze of corridors composed of white brick. Pipes lined the ceiling above as they descended down a flight of stairs.

"First thing's first,"Rose announced with a smile in her eye. "Before we meet dad I have something to show you."

"The big surprise you mean?" he asked excitedly, his bounding step suddenly even more boisterous.

"Yep!"

They rounded a corner and stopped abruptly. She lifted her plastic badge tucked into the front of her purple blouse up to the scanner by the door. "The badges are fitted with bio-data which match the badge holder. If you tried this without the right badge it would set off an alarm," she explained matter-of-factly as they entered. It beeped and she pushed it open with the air of pride. "This," she explained, "is my home away from home."

He entered her office with genuine curiosity as he inspected the room. There were several schematics of what appeared to be the dimension cannon pinned to a cork board on the wall. Engineering books and multicolored binders sat on a shelf next to a large metal desk. A computer sat on top of the table amid scattered papers. She came around the back of the metal desk and rustled through the drawers before holding up a silver glint in her hand. "_This_ is what I brought you to see."

He gasped aloud. "My sonic!" he squeaked as giddy as a school girl. In a flash he had flipped his long legs over the desk, snatching it from her extended hand. His smile was contagious as he gleefully flipped the switch on, the familiar whirling sounding with a splendorous blue glow. It was music to his ears. "It is! It's my sonic!"

He then swept her up and twirled her about in a crushing hug. "_Oh_ I could kiss you!" he shouted. "Actually, _I think I will!_" he added devilishly. With that, he smooched the top of her hair as she snickered. "Oh, Rose Tyler, _you_ are a life saver!" He released her, caressing his sonic with wild admiration. "But _how_?"

The smile on her face faltered. "Well... that's the sonic from the other universe. The one where..." She paused before continuing, her eyes downcast, "...the one where he died."

Confusion came across his features. "You mean the parallel world where Donna never met me?"

Rose nodded, emotion creeping into her voice. "I saw it just lying there on the ground. It just seemed _wrong_ to leave it there." He put a hand on her shoulder comfortingly. "There's more. This way."

She led him further into the compound, descending until they came upon what appeared to be some sort of lab. Upon entering, his breath caught in his chest at the spectacle before him. Pieces of his TARDIS were spread about. Wires and other bits of metal were strewn haphazardly across the tiled floor.

"We er, we retrofitted the TARDIS, using the surface technology to send Donna back in time to stop herself from turning right," she spoke, carefully observing his reaction. "I had it brought here piece by piece."

His stepped forward and silently ran his hands over the pieces of his beloved ship. The grief of their separation was now multiplied at seeing before him the remains of this parallel version. Even though he knew his TARDIS, the _real_ TARDIS, was safe in the other realm his soul grieved. The familiar blue wooden door had been detached and he reverently ran his hand along the sign on the front.

"Isn't there anything you can do?" she implored.

Without taking his eyes off the door, he wistfully shook his head. "No. She passed away. She didn't belong in this universe. There was no way for her to survive."

"Right," she muttered. "Diesel in a petrol engine. I remember you saying something like that. It's just, well I've seen you do impossible things before. I thought maybe..." Her heart fell. He looked so sad. Perhaps her little plan wasn't such a good idea after all. She watched as he bent down and softly ran his fingertips over the various wires that they had cannibalized to jerry-rig the crude time machine. It must hurt him to see what they had done to her. "I'm so sorry," she whispered, biting her lip.

"Don't be," he said gently as he examined the scene around him. "If you hadn't brought her here she would have blinked out of existence anyway. You did what you had to do to save the universe. And you did it _brilliantly _I might add." He stood and slowly strode toward her. "Thank you, thank you for _everything_ Rose." His timeless locked eyes onto hers as he grasped her shoulders. "You are the most remarkable person I know, and I've met a lot of people in my existence so _that_ is saying something," he declared proudly.

Her breath caught in her chest and suddenly he was hugging her. She released the breath she had been holding in as he held her close to him, rocking side to side. Feeling a bit guilty, she nudged her head against his. He didn't let go, instead he pulled her even closer. She became hyper-aware of his chest steadily rising and falling, her heart beginning to beat slightly faster in response.

"Do you know," he said finally pulling away from her slightly, but not willing to let her go quite yet. "I think I know just what to do with this." Gesturing with his head toward the mess, a smile found it's way onto his face once more. "I think I know a little fella who would _love_ to have his very own TARDIS to play in."

Rose's smile nearly reached her ears. "Oh that's a brilliant idea," she exclaimed excitedly, bouncing in his arms.

Her grin took his breath away as he clutched her waist. Oh how he longed to kiss her properly again. His eyes fell to her brilliant smile as the memory of their moment on the beach popped into his mind. Instinctively, he pulled her closer but stopped just short, her cool breath ghosting along his lips.

Rose felt her heart stop. She was sure he was about to kiss her. She was also sure she couldn't bring herself to stop him if he did, but just then he cleared his throat, released her, and took a deep breath.

"Right," he said his voice noticeably higher. "Yes well, thanks for the sonic," he said awkwardly, taking a step back and waving the device in his hand. With his other hand he brushed his fingers through the back of his dark hair.

"Right," she exhaled, a bit dazed by the sudden change. "S'pose we'd best not keep dad waiting too long. He's been itching to show off this place after all. Ready for your grand tour?"

With a charming bow and a flash of white teeth he nearly undid her. "Lead the way, Rose Tyler."

In a failing effort to stop the jitters leaping within her Rose hurriedly led the way back up the stairs.

Voices were soon echoing into the halls as the Doctor followed her into a spacious atrium filled with numerous Torchwood personnel. Stairs along the side of the large room ascended to three levels, glass and steel an obvious motif for the balconies overlooking the space. Large plasma screens lined the edges of the room playing several news stations at once. A command center stood in front of them as a ring of concentric desks branched out lined with several agents typing away at computers. Altogether it was a rather overreaching attempt at futuristic design- something he found sort of endearing about humans. _Spock_, Rose would call it. Very Spock. No wonder she liked the place.

"Rose!?" a voice rang out. Laughter erupted from a running spiky-haired figure in black which proceeded to tackle the blond woman next to him and twirl her into the air. "I thought you weren't coming back!" Jake said, a huge smile on his face.

"Surprise!" she giggled breathlessly. The Doctor looked on, a bit taken aback at just how close Jake was holding her.

"Where's Mickey?" he asked setting her down and looking about. "Doctor?!" Astonished, he walked forward extending his hand with a grin. "She actually went and did it!"

"Hi Jake," the Doctor replied shaking his hand with a genuinely cordial smile, reaching over to pat his back.

"You came here?" he asked in disbelief. "I thought you were going back to your own universe," he said turning to Rose.

"It's a long story," she replied. "And... Mickey stayed behind."

Jake's face fell. "Did he now? And without even saying goodbye. That _git,_" he said shaking his head, his hands on his hips. "Well I have to admit, I never saw this coming," he stated to Rose and the Doctor. "You two are here and _he's_ there!"

"Tell me about it," uttered Rose quietly under her breath.

Whether she meant him to hear it or not he did. Obviously she was referring to wanting to be with the _other_ him in the other universe. He knew she probably didn't mean anything by it, but it hurt nonetheless as he stole an uneasy look her way.

"Do you know where my dad is?" Rose asked him.

"Yeah, he's over with Assistant Director Hartman on level two."

She nodded. "Good seeing you, Jake." Suddenly she felt a tap on the side of her arm.

"Is that-?" The Doctor's breath caught in his chest as he viewed from afar a young professionally dressed black woman in hushed conversation.

Rose followed the Doctor's gaze. _Ah. Figures._ "Adeola. Adeola Oshodi," she answered. "She does bear a resemblance to Martha, doesn't she?"

_Of course._ He remembered Adeola from Canary Warf in his own universe. Martha had said she had a cousin who worked there... a cousin who didn't come home. His heart sank. He never put the pieces together before. But if Adeola was here... "Is Martha her cousin here too?" Just then Adeola turned and happened to look his way, her expression polite but interested. After a moment she turned her attention back to the man beside her.

Rose eyed him contemplatively for a moment before answering. "Dunno." As a matter of fact she had no idea Martha Jones even existed until a couple of days ago and it wasn't exactly a welcome revelation.

The Doctor then turned his focus to the tall dark-haired man standing next to the parallel cousin of his past companion and did yet another double take. "And that's Ross Jenkins from UNIT!" The young man had given his life to warn him of the Sontaran invasion not so long ago. "Blimey, it's like Torchwood really _is_ crawling with ghosts." It was odd to see them both alive and well.

"Well he did work at UNIT to start with, but he said they were going in a... darker direction," she explained quietly. "Put in a transfer to Torchwood last year."

"Really?" the Doctor asked curiously. The UNIT he knew was a bit heavy-handed on occasion but meant well, for the most part. He couldn't say the same of Torchwood, though Jack assured him it had changed.

"They've been trying to merge with our operations for years, trying to disband us and take over. Luckily President Jones is having none of it, _for now_. UNIT is about as shady an organization as they come- assassinations, coups, no oversight. They operate under the guise of the UN but they answer to nobody. Even the UN as a whole doesn't acknowledge their existence."

"Hm, seems in this universe the organizations are reversed, like some sort of... _parallel inversion_."

"Leave it to you to come up with a technical term for evil twin! Come on," she beckoned with a grin. "Keep dad waiting any longer and he'll send a search party out for us!" She tugged at his arm and they lumbered up the stairs, converse and black trainers padding against the hard steps.

After entering the largest room yet (though _room_ hardly seemed like an adequate term), the Doctor let out a long whistle. The sprawling domed metal ceiling extended upwards encompassing several more computer terminals below which surrounded what appeared to be some sort of complex circular spinning apparatus in the center. Impulsively, he approached it.

Several of the workers stood in surprise, no doubt wondering at the audacity of a stranger walking in on their project without so much as a hello, not the least of which was Torchwood's second in command, Yvonne Hartman. "Excuse me," she spoke, clearly annoyed. "May I help you? Do you _even have clearance_ to be here?"

The Doctor ignored her entirely, focusing instead on examining the machinery in front of him.

"It's alright," Pete said stepping forward to diffuse the concern. "Everyone, this is your new senior science consultant. I'd like you to meet the Doctor."

Despite all the eyes in the room being latched onto him, he seemed to be wholly unaffected, entirely enveloped in doing... well whatever it was he was doing. To Rose, such behavior was expected but to this new world and in particular this new Torchwood, it was likely to be a source of contention with the more authoritative figures of the facility who were used to throwing their rank around to command respect. She smirked at the sour look upon her Assistant Director's face. She was likely to have her perfect little subordinate world come crashing down now that the Doctor had come to stay.

Finally the Doctor spoke. "You're building an energy converter from stolen technology." Turning, he stepped lightly amid the wires and dashed back toward them, stopping directly in front of Ms. Hartman. "Why?"

"Nice to meet you too," she said wryly from behind her carefully curled hair.

Pete cleared his throat. "Ms. Hartman is the Assistant Director of Torchwood Three and the overseer of project NOVAE," he explained.

Not that the Doctor needed reminding. Unpleasant memories of the late Director of Torchwood from Canary Warf bubbled inside him. Another ghost.

"It stands for _New Oscillating Variable Alternative Energy._ If we are successful we could light up the entire country from the power harnessed from this device," she said coolly, her arms crossed.

"Or blow it up," the Doctor countered studying her carefully. If she was anything like her parallel counterpart, and so far she quite seemed like it, then he knew she was not beyond taking jeopardizing risks.

Yvonne tossed her hair over her shoulder haughtily. "Our top scientists are here to make sure that doesn't happen."

He continued to survey her for a moment. Rose gave him a cautious glare. Instead of countering, he simply nodded deciding not to make too much trouble for himself. He was after all looking at his boss as distressing and bothersome as that thought might be.

"Right, well we have more to see, Doctor. This way." Pete led them from the room, no doubt eager to dispel the tense air.

"Of all the assistant directors you could have picked you had to go and pick _her_?" the Doctor grumbled as soon as they were out of earshot. "She nearly caused the collapse of _both_ of our universes." Yvonne's actions had played a critical role in welcoming the Cybermen into their world resulting in the battle of Canary Warf.

"Different Yvonne," Pete reminded him as they continued back down the stairs into the atrium. "Besides, I didn't have much of a choice. She was appointed by President Jones herself."

The Doctor snorted. "Ah yes, Harriet Jones." While he had his differences with the parallel woman from his earth after she had fired upon the Sycorax he was nevertheless touched by her final act of courage to contact him to save the earth. Much like the final act of Yvonne Hartman after she was converted into a Cyberman, covering for them while they escaped to the upper levels. It was a timely reminder that people could change. He hoped for the sake of Torchwood, and the country for that matter, that both the Jones and Hartman of this world were made of better material, and that they wouldn't make similar horrific mistakes before discovering so.

"Anyway, where we _really_ need you is in inventory," Pete continued as they passed into the opposite corridor across the common area. "We need help identifying and categorizing the items being spit out by the rift in Cardiff. Frankly we need to know which items are dangerous and which items can be safely stored here at this facility because we have no clue. The other facility is overflowing."

The Doctor groaned internally. It sounded like incredibly boring work.

"Of course," Pete added glancing behind him, "you are welcome to join agent Tyler and agent Simmonds on their missions as well. Whatever you'd like really, so long as you remain on hand for any questions we may have. He perked up slightly.

The first thing he noticed as they entered the next room was not the several steel open shelves piled with item upon item but the pungent smell of dust, crate, and metal. At the center of the room stood a large table with several knick-knacks spread about, two prodding scientists hunched over them.

"Um," the Doctor interrupted, casually strutting forward with a smile, "you don't want to be doing that! That's a Trandorian defibrillator. Their species evolved on a planet with much higher gravity resulting in a much heartier life form. One shock from that puppy will knock you into next week," he warned animatedly. "Weeell _actually_ six feet under might be more accurate."

The scientists carefully backed away, looking at him with a blend of perplexed amazement.

Pete smiled. "This will be your new adviser, the Doctor," Pete said to the two men in lab coats. "Doctor I'd like you to meet Dr. Singh and Dr. Hall."

"Hello! Nice to meet you," he said with a brief pleasant nod to both the dark-haired man in glasses and the balding man before him, but his curiosity couldn't be contained. "And what do we have here?"

There, poised on the desk, was a rather large and spiky contraption slowly coiling and expanding. Covered in tiny dots of color, the scaly coral-like protrusions intertwined and untangled in a choreographed dance, almost mechanic in nature yet curiously graceful.

"_Aw_, why that's beautiful!" he said excitedly, pricking his finger upon one of the sharp spires as it moved. He sucked briefly on his fingertip.

"What is it? It is some type of life form? It moves whenever we approach. We weren't sure if it was trying to make contact or not," Dr. Singh asked.

"What? Oh no, not this! This is a Terileptil sculpture programmed to respond to movement! Oh you've got Terileptils in this universe, marvelous!" he said in glee, his voice noticeably higher. "Nope _this,_ gentlemen, is _art_."

"What?!" both men in lab coats exclaimed, exchanging looks of bewilderment. "So... so it's not dangerous then?"

"Not in the slightest!" he exclaimed with a dismissive gesture.

He perused along the rest table with interest as he eyed several other trinkets, his tingling hand fondling the many bobbles and bits. He spotted a Xenron food processor, a Silurian magma drill, some sort of primitive battery, and an odd black ridged round object with a glass center full of a menacing orange colored substance. Out came his newly reunited sonic screwdriver as he plucked the oddity from the table. "Huh. Seems to be some sort of liquid with an unbelievably high level of acidity. Fascinating." In fact there were several objects he'd never laid eyes upon before and _that_ was saying something. He chucked it back onto the table among the other yet unclassified objects. New universe, new mysteries. _Although_... He spotted another familiar object which soon had his full attention.

Pete moved forward to speak with the two men while the Doctor, taking advantage of their occupied conversation, grabbed what appeared to be a leather wrist band from the table and pocketed it. Rose glanced at him questioningly. He slyly moved his finger to his lips and winked at her.

A broken vortex manipulator would hardly do him much use where traveling was concerned but with a bit of tinkering it could still manage to bend space. Quite nifty for an ex-Time Lord who had become dependent on trans-dimensional pockets.

"And this will be your new office." Pete gestured to a room just off the one they were in. The Doctor looked around dully. The room was barren except for a standard desk, a computer and basic stationary, very reminiscent of a medical clinic. He shuddered. Sitting on the edge of the metal desk he idly picked up a paper weight, tossed it in the air and then put back down. _How boring. _Suddenly things were starting to feel very... _permanent_ and not the good kind of permanent. He silently lamented not being near Rose's office, or sharing it for that matter. Did he really need his own?

"Oh and before I forget," Pete said turning to him, "these are yours." He handed him a manilla envelope. "You'll find a driver's license, birth certificate, and Torchwood identification card."

He sighed. _Blimey, I really am stuck here now aren't I? _He peeked inside and spied a glint of metal_. _"What's this?" he asked holding up a key.

"That's the key to your new government issued vehicle. And if you'd like your own flat I can arrange that too," Pete said.

The Doctor nodded halfway. The need to travel everywhere by car and the need for a place to live was a stark reminder that his TARDIS was no more. Not wanting to be rude he gave a small, "thanks," as Pete left.

Rose, seeing the look of displeasure in his eyes and his tell-tale signs of restlessness, put a gentle hand on his shoulder and gave him a sympathetic rub. Had it been that obvious to her? He gave her an appreciative lopsided smile.

Just then his tingling hand flashed with heat. He stretched out his fingers to examine it when searing pain tore up his arm yet again. He groaned between his clenched teeth.

Rose draped her arm across him in concern. "Doctor?!"

Writhing in pain, he nearly fell to the floor but with a grunt she caught him and eased him back onto the edge of the desk. He clutched at her shoulders and slowly exhaled as a stream of bright glowing energy exited his lips.

"Doctor, what's wrong?!" she asked alarmed.

"Dunno," he grunted. "The regeneration seems to be taking a bit longer than usual. Or not. Like I said, I dunno. This body is so new and there's never been one like it in existence before. It could be anything or it could be nothing at all."

"Regeneration? I thought you said you were human?"

He shook his head. "_Part_ human. I'm still part Time Lord and it appears I still have too much excess energy inside me."

"Maybe we should get you to the infirmary," she suggested. Whatever was going on she didn't like the thought of him in pain. "Or maybe you need a cup of tea from the break room?"

"Normally I wouldn't bother, but I must admit, I'm curious about my own physiology. I need to do some scans." He looked up at her, his voice now serious. "But I can't leave _any_ traces of my DNA and all records would need to be destroyed. I don't want to draw attention to myself. I can run the tests myself but I'll need your help."

She nodded. "Of course. Come on, up you go," she said, hooking her arm into his as he stood. (He neglected to tell her than he didn't actually need help standing). "It's on level three, but first I think a cuppa is in order."

Ten minutes later, two large double doors swung open as they entered the infirmary, tea in hand. The linoleum white floor reflected the cold white lights from above as the familiar scent of disinfectant wafted over them. At a large wooden reception desk a young woman with glasses and a dark ponytail greeted them.

"Hello, love. Do you have an appointment?" the woman asked kindly.

Rose offered a polite smile. "No, actually we are working on a case and we will need the use of your facilities for the next hour. All staff will need to exit the area until we are finished."

Her face lit up in surprise. "Oh, well... well I suppose we'll need to cancel the appointments for the next hour then. Are you sure Director Tyler is okay with this? I mean we're supposed to have a medical team on standby in the infirmary twenty-four hours a day."

Seemed she'd have to pull out the big guns. Rose peered down at the woman's name tag pinned to a pair of pale blue scrubs. "Nurse Wilkins is it?" she inquired. "I have top clearance and the authority to ask you to leave." She reached into her blouse and pulled out her badge showing her credentials with a magisterial air of confidence. "Please do what you need to do. You have ten minutes."

"O- of course!" she replied hastily. Stumbling to her feet, she turned and disappeared behind the corner.

"Apparently your reputation precedes you," the Doctor noted as he finished the last of his tea with a big gulp.

Rose huffed. "Not mine, my dad's. 'S annoying sometimes. Wish I could just be viewed on my merits and not who my father is. Don't like having everyone walk on egg shells around me." She felt bad about using her badge like a 'get out of jail free' card, but sometimes it was the only way to get things done.

"They're lucky to have you," he asserted as he set his empty foam cup on the desk. "If they knew half of what I know about you they wouldn't question your decisions and not because of your dad. Well especially considering he's not even _technically_ your dad. Well I _say_ not technically but he did marry you mum which makes him at least your step dad. And biologically you could make an argument seeing as the genetic code which makes up your DNA matches his but for all intents and purposes-" He stopped and looked at her amused expression. He grimaced, letting out a hiss. "Ooo, I'm rambling again aren't I?"

"Yeah." She smiled smally, appreciating the gesture all the same. "Thanks though." The sound of shuffling feet stole her attention. Several medical staff members began filing past them cast weary glances their way. She threw them an apologetic smile. "Sorry," she called out. "Won't be too long! Thanks!"

As soon as they were out of eyesight the Doctor sprung up, clapping his hands together. "Well, I'll need to takes some baseline readings and then do some scans. You haven't got a 74th century med scanner lying about by any chance, have you?" Her confused expression told him all he need to know. "Oh well, never mind that then. We'll make due. Off we go then!"

In a split second he was gone, Rose hurrying to catch up. Blimey he could move. Seemed Donna hadn't affected his speed in any way.

Thirty minutes and several scans later the Doctor perched himself on a stool, squinting into a microscope at a blood sample as Rose looked on, fiddling with the end of a lock of hair in boredom now that her part was done. Without warning he dabbed his finger in the vile and licked his fingertip."Curious," he muttered deep in thought.

Rose turned up her nose. It wasn't the first time he'd done such a thing nor, she imagined, would it be the last. This version of the Doctor seemed regrettably prone to licking as a valid method of scientific analysis, something she'd relentlessly teased him about in the past and a habit he obviously hadn't yet broken himself from."What is it, then?"

"Seems I've got a cocktail of both species in my blood. It has a triple-helix formation but I've never seen anything like it before. It's not quite Time Lord and not fully human." He turned his attention to the several images splayed across the computer next to him- the culmination of his various scans on his sonic rerouted to display on the screen. "And look at this," he said delightedly as he pointed."I've got a great big Time Lord brain." He turned in time to see her roll her eyes teasingly. "Oi! It is! See that there? I'll have you know that right there is an additional lobe we use for primary biological functions freeing up the rest of the brain for other uses. Very nifty indeed. Glad to see in intact. But..." He studied the rest of the scans with pursed lips. "It looks like the rest of me is very... _human_," he exhaled. "No binary vascular system, no pulmonary tubes or additional organs. And, it appears I've lost the flexibility of my skeletal structure," he noted, spying the brittle appearance of the bones and the missing two ribs. "Disgusting."

"Well at least your Time Lord arrogance is in tact," Rose kidded. He pretended to ignore her but she thought she caught a smile on the edge of his lips as he leaned in closer for a better look.

"Hmm. And it seems the nerve endings in my wrist are inflamed." He zoomed in on the right hand. "That must be causing the pain."

"That's easy enough to sort. Just take an aspirin and call me in the morning, isn't that what they say, Doctor?" she asked jokingly.

He let out a silent chortle. "Except that would likely kill me."

Taken aback she looked at him perplexed.

"Aspirin is deadly to Time Lords," he explained matter-of-factly. "And considering I've still got Time Lord-like blood and a Time Lord brain I'd say it's best not to test that one out. It could stop platelet aggregation or cause a cerebral embolism."

"Wow," she hissed, her brown eyes growing wide as she ogled the scans. "I forgot just how _alien_ you were."

His eyes narrowed almost imperceptibly. "Still more human than I _was_," he contended searching her expression. "Is... is that still okay?"

She wasn't quite sure what he was asking. "I assure you, I haven't inexplicably grown a fear of aliens over the past six years. Now come on, we've got to let them get back to work." She then hurried from the room as he lingered, looking at the screen.

That wasn't what he meant. He once again held up his hand. The meta-crisis had certainly brought him much closer to being human but there was one thing he was certain of- he was still not genetically compatible with her. He pushed the thought from his mind as he deleted the images with the press of a button.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7  
**

They remained there for the day, the Doctor taking in the rest of Torchwood and investigating the various projects in the works. He soon found himself giving advice to the IT team on how to maximize the efficiency of their centralized computer network. After unsuccessfully trying to help them identify an odd signal they picked up, he was now trying to convince them to let him hack into the system to boost the speed. Unfortunately they wouldn't budge babbling on about _rules_. That was going to take some getting use to. He never was one for such things. Turning to joke to Rose he suddenly found she had wandered off.

It didn't take long after that for him to become restless. He took the liberty of asking around until he was pointed in the general direction one of the employees had seen Rose disappear. Strolling down the corridors he spotted an open door. Upon entering he found Rose standing before what he assumed was the command center for the dimension cannon project. The room was smaller than the other labs he had seen though not small in and of itself per se. Schematics and equations were taped haphazardly on a dry erase board over looking rows of tables. Computers, yellow circular device hoppers, and hand-held charging devices lay lifeless strewn about.

"This place used to be bustling," she whispered without looking behind her. "Not three days ago, I had teams of people working 'round the clock. Now..." Her voice trailed off.

He stepped beside her, looking upon her forlorn face with sympathy. "You did it, Rose. You found me and stopped the darkness. Now it's time to decommission it."

She didn't answer.

Inhaling, he crossed his arms. "Something this dangerous needs to be destroyed, Rose. Punching holes in the universe is like playing Russian roulette. It's a miracle nothing catastrophic has happened yet."

"It saved all of our lives, including mine, if you recall," she countered defensively.

He bit his tongue, realizing her attachment to the program likely had less to do with saving the universe and more to do with a certain Time Lord tucked away in another reality. "Rose..." he began tentatively placing his hand upon her shoulder, "he's not coming back."

She knew he was right. She knew it should make no sense to hold onto a device that no longer even functioned. It was irrational, it was dangerous, and yet in the back of her mind she couldn't stifle the words nagging her...

_What if?_

What if the device suddenly started working again? What if she could get back to her home world? She could apologize, maybe they could start over...

Or heaven help them what if something truly awful happened again and they needed his help, the _proper_ Doctor? How else would they reach him?

All manner of scenarios began swimming in her head fighting against his words, fighting against the truth she just couldn't accept. Not yet.

"Rose..."

She inhaled, moving out from under his grasp as she twirled to face him, her arms folded like a shield between them, the armor of her resolve. "I appreciate your input, but I'm in charge of this project and I'll decide what to do with it." With that she strode purposefully from the room.

He bit his lip. If it had been anyone else he would have refused to let it go but two things held his feet and his tongue in place; one: Rose was the only one in all the universe, well, make that _two_ universes now, that he trusted without limit, and two: she was hurting and she needed time to accept things as they were. She would come to terms on her own time. He had no doubt that she would do the right thing when she was ready.

He darted from the room, the heavy door clicking and locking behind him as he quickly caught up to her. "Rose, you should know I meant what I said."

"Hm?" she asked distractedly, lost in her thoughts.

"About not questioning your decisions."

She slowed and turned to look at him.

He took a step closer. "I mean it. I mean, I may come off as, well, a bit conceited and know-it-all sometimes but the truth of the matter is, I trust you. I trust you implicitly." More than he ever trusted himself.

The look in his face told her he was being honest, his rich dark eyes so full of trust that she found jitters once more working into the pit of her stomach. "Um, thanks." She cleared her throat eager to avert his gaze. "So what do you think?" she asked holding her hands up gesturing to the building around them as they walked once more.

"Oh, fine," he said with a sniff, wishing it were so. Truth be told he was feeling more and more unsure of this arrangement by the minute. Unfortunately it looked like he was going to be doing a fair bit of babysitting and hand slapping, trying to keep the little humans playing with alien toys they had no business messing with. Was this really what he wanted to do with his time?

Rose examined him closely, noticing his shoulders drawing inward, a slouch appearing in his back as he shuffled along next to her. "'S not so bad, once you get used to it. It's nothing like the Torchwood back home with dad in charge and there will be plenty of adventures and aliens for you yet." She nudged his elbow encouragingly, managing to draw a smile from his downcast face.

Yes. Yes it was what he wanted. Or rather, being near _her_ was what he wanted. And saving the planet from alien invasion was rather his specialty, if he did say so himself. They'd be brilliant together. The Doctor and Rose, saving the earth. Just like old times.

They soon had exited lift to the parkade in the warehouse as they stepped onto the pavement. "Did you know it's been centuries since I last had to drive one of these?" he mentioned, holding up the silver key in his hand.

"You did pass your test, right?" Rose asked slightly worried as she recalled his lacking skills in driving a certain motor bike that time they went back to 1953.

He scoffed in feigned overly dramatic offense. "Oi! You wound me! I'm perfectly capable of driving a car. I'll have you know I used to drive one every day when I was exiled on earth during my third regeneration."

She whipped her head towards him in surprise. "You were exiled here on earth, _really_? What did you do?" she questioned, unable to hide the curiosity in her voice.

"Oh... well it's a long story. A story perhaps best told over dinner?" His eyebrows rose hopefully.

Rose smirked. "Fine, sure. I'll see you back home then, yeah?" she asked as they went their separate ways, her to her car, and him to his.

The Doctor held out the key and pressed the button looking for his new government issued vehicle. A black Meredes-Benz lit up with a soft beep to his left. Ah, no blue car for him then. Too bad. His mouth twisted to the side in appraisal as he entered it, slamming the door shut.

He sighed as he started the journey back to the Tyler Estate alone. Why did he even need his own car? Rose's car could take them both to work. _That would only work if we lived together, _he reminded himself. Technically they _were_ living together now, albeit at her parents' house. It wasn't his first choice of residence for sure nor did he wish to stay there for much longer. They had lived together on the TARDIS while they traveled but the TARDIS was huge on the inside. It wasn't a closed-in space and neither one of them found the living arrangements to be awkward. But now, stuck on earth suddenly the thought of living together in a flat had a much deeper meaning. He knew that if they went that route it would be a huge step for their relationship. But the thought of living somewhere on his own made him feel a bit melancholy. He was always rubbish alone.

Unfortunately, no matter how he played it in his head he just wasn't sure how to bring it up in casual conversation. _Hey Rose, I know I just appeared out of nowhere three days ago but would you like to move in together? _He took in a deep breath. First he would have to ascertain exactly where she stood with their relationship. That was partly why he wanted to invite her to dinner where they could talk alone. Based on her comments over past two days, it was obvious she didn't view him and the other Doctor as the same man. He would have to explain to her who he was. He wasn't a clone but an _actual_ regeneration. Perhaps it was a different type of regeneration but in the end he was the same man she fell in love with.

But what if that wasn't enough? Secretly he feared that he would never be enough for her in this form. He wasn't a full Time Lord anymore after all and he couldn't show her the universe either. His stomach turned. _This is why I don't do domestic_, he thought mournfully. It was enough to make his head spin.

Back at the Tyler Estate the sun had just started to set behind the trees, stray multicolored leaves catching in the wind as he drove up and exited. It was a bit cool to be going about without his coats, he decided, even for him. Upon entering the well adorned mansion, he retreated upstairs to put on his brown pinstriped suit coat and new camel colored trench coat and adjusted his swirly brown tie. He tossed his sonic affectionately in the air with a grin before pocketing it. With that he dashed downstairs to find his date.

He spotted her outside on the patio as the wind blew her gleaming hair wildly about her shoulders. Her black leather jacket flexed around her form as she gazed at the orange and pink sunset. For a moment he just stood observing her from afar, hardly believing she was actually there. Finally he stepped forward. "Rose?" he called gently.

She turned. The color drained from her face as she gasped and grabbed the patio railing to steady herself. There he was, brown pinstripe suit, brown tie, and trench coat. Her heart began to hammer loudly. Fear, hurt and confusion hit her squarely in the chest.

The Doctor stepped forward alarmed at her reaction. "Rose? Are you alright? I didn't mean to..." he reached out for her and then halted. Realization struck him. "You think I'm him." His heart stopped. "Rose I'm so sorry, I..." He apologetically shook his head offering his hand to help her stand.

She took a step back. Her breathing was hard and labored and fresh tears stung at her eyes. "Oh... _oh god!_" A sob, escaped her and she drew her hand up to her face as she began to cry.

_Oh buggar! I've made a mess of things now_, he thought to himself as he began to panic. How was he going to fix this?

"I'm sorry, I'm so _so_ sorry!" he said desperately. "Please, _please_ don't be upset." He took a step forward and grabbed her trembling hand.

She gaped up at him as he pulled her into an embrace. Her entire body was shaking as he tried to calm her.

"Shh, shh. It's okay."

But it wasn't okay. It was like her heart had been cut out all over again. For a moment she thought _he_ had come back for her. It was all getting to be too much. Far _far_ too much. Her mind raced despite his best efforts to calm her.

"Hey there," he said drawing back and placing his hands on the side of her arms, "please, please tell me what's wrong."

Sobbing, she did her best to speak. "I... I c-ca..."

"Shhh shhh, alright, it's okay," he said drawing her into a hug once more. He simply held her close as she slowly regained her composure. He felt absolutely _dreadful_ for doing this to her. He had thought she would like the trench coat but he had neglected to mention that he had even bought it. _How thick of you, _hegrumbled to himself.

After a few moments she took a deep breath, still pressed against his chest. "Sorry 'bout that," she said softly. "I didn't expect to react so strongly. I just... um, I just.." tears began to fall once more.

"Don't be sorry. _I_ was an idiot. I didn't even stop to think about how you would react to seeing me like this. I know..." he paused before continuing. "I know you love him."

She let out a small sob and nodded silently. He backed up once more giving her some space as he prepared to speak.

"Rose there's something you should know. He and I... we _really_ _are_ the same. We had the same consciousness before the meta-crisis happened. We have the same memories and the same... _feelings_. I... feel for you the same way he did."

"What do you mean?" she asked dabbing her eyes.

"What do you mean, _what do you mean_?" he asked taken aback. Hadn't he made himself clear that day on the beach? His drew his hand up searching for hers. "Rose... I want to be there for you. I want..."

"Don't. Please," she interjected, cutting him off and stepping back from his reach. "I'm sorry, I just... I c-can't." She paused in an attempt to compose herself without success. "The man I love left me and you loo-look just like him," she stuttered fresh tears streaming down her face. "When I look at you, it hurts. It just hurts so bad." With that she rushed past him and fled back into the house, slamming the door behind her.

Her words were like ice cold water splashing his face.

She didn't want him.

The feeling was enough to double him over but he managed to stand firm. Inwardly though, it all came crashing down. He couldn't do this. Not without her.

His mind began racing, his Time Lord brain instinctively analyzing as it always did when his life was in danger. And it was in a very real sense. What kind of life would he have now? In frustration he brushed his hand through this hair and down the side of his face as he began pacing. A string of very choice words in both English and Gallifreyanescaped his lips. Oh he had really mucked this up.

She was right. He did leave her after he promised he wouldn't. He winced and clenched his teeth at the memory- _his memory_ of her asking right out if he would ever abandon her. And how else was she supposed to feel? Hm?! Oh how she must hate both of them right now. He couldn't say he blamed her.

Absentmindedly he reached up and grasped his hair once more. This was a mess and he had to fix it because the other Doctor was right, he _needed_ Rose.

* * *

Rose fled to her room slamming and locking the door, ignoring her mother's muffled pleas for an explanation on the other side. She threw herself face first onto her bed and sobbed until there were finally no more tears to cry. Minutes slipped by unnoticed as she lay there in the steadily increasing darkness, her thoughts swirling, as she struggled to allow her volatile emotions to once more find equilibrium.

This wasn't going to work. She thought maybe she could be around him and maybe she could, but not this close. It hurt too bad. It messed with her head. It fooled with her heart. She wasn't going to abandon him, no, but they needed space- and boundaries. Maybe if she could just explain that they could go back to being like her and the Doctor used to be...

But then she realized that wouldn't work either because even then she had been head-over-heels for that Time Lord from the stars. It was never _just_ holding his hand. It was never _just_ a hug to her. It had always been more and she had thought it had been the same from him too.

_Then that's it_, she realized. They could never go back to the way things were. It was over.

She waited for the tears to come but they didn't. Her eyes were dry.

* * *

The quiet hum of engines was the only sound present on the vessel as the screen lit up the cold metal room. The blue light silhouetted the outline of the spiked grotesque creature observing the screen.

"The unknown energy source had been tracked to this location," a monotonous voice translator sounded.

"Is it from a human source?" questioned the armored individual behind him.

"Unknown. Further investigation required."

"Don't waste our time. The last human you captured was weak_._"

"The location was last pinged at a facility located London. Several of our sensors have indicated high levels of anomalies within the area the readings were taken. We require more subjects for questioning to narrow down the source."

Quiet once again enveloped the room. "Very well. Proceed. And you'd better hope you find something of interest. We are growing... _impatient_."

The sound of hardened shoes against the floor faded once more into silence.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

The Doctor continued to pace around the grounds as the daylight retreated, his converse shoes scuffing along the brick beneath. He had anxiously watched her window on the second story for any sign of movement or light. He wanted to give her some space but the wait was _maddening_. He wasn't sure what to do in the mean time.

"Are you alright out there?" Jackie called to him.

The Doctor spun around.

"Rose isn't answering her door. Is something going on between you two?" she called loudly.

He sighed gloomily.

"My god you look a mess, you do. Come 'ere, come inside!" she said beckoning to him. "Tell me what's going on."

He hesitated, wondering if he should just make a break for it and take a drive instead. Talking to Jackie was _not_ something he wanted to do at that moment. Actually he'd rather take on an army of Daleks than face her.

"Oh no you don't!" she said somehow reading his mind and guessing he was about to take off. "If something is wrong with my little girl then you are going to tell me what's going on! This is all _your_ fault, I'm sure of it! What did you do this time?" she yelled.

Guiltily, he winced. She was right. He brought his hand up and grabbed his hair shaking his head. "She's... upset," he finally said.

"Well that much is obvious." When she realized he was not going to come inside she marched herself out onto the patio, grabbed him by the arm, and yanked him into the kitchen. "Pete's not going to be in tonight and Tony's off watching telly so you, _sit_!" she ordered pointing to the chair at the table. He did as he was told. "What did you do to my little girl?" she demanded.

"Jackie, I..." he slammed his hands on the table. "God, what _haven't_ I done?" he snapped. He had really messed this up. "I startled her. For a moment there she thought I was him, the _other him_ and she went running off."

Jackie stared down at him.

"She doesn't want to be with me," he finally admitted, holding up his head with his hands staring across the kitchen miserably.

Jackie sighed. "She'll come around. She didn't cross universes to find you just to walk away."

"I hope you're right," he said simply.

"Me too." She paused before continuing. "I can't believe I'm saying this, god knows I've hated you for taking her away from me, but you two deserve to be happy. And you will be. I've seen the way she looks at you. She's just been through a lot. Give her some time." Not sure what else to do Jackie gave him a sympathetic pat on the back and wandered off to help Tony get dressed for bed.

He sat there for a while resting his head on his arms as his foot tapped incessantly. A part of him wanted to go to her but he didn't dare disturb her. He needed to wait until she was ready to talk however long that took. To prevent himself from going insane, the Doctor pulled out his sonic screwdriver and began adjusting the settings. It was a relief to have something of home with him, now the_ only_ thing. He let out a long sigh. Unfortunately for him and unlike Rose, he was _very_ aware of the hours slowly creeping by.

* * *

Jackie and Pete had long since retired for evening before Rose elected to lift herself off the bed. She didn't know what to expect or even if he would be up, but something told her the Doctor was likely about somewhere. Her instincts proved to be correct when she spotted him working on his sonic in the kitchen. She'd never before seen her Doctor this out of sorts. His eyes were glazed over and his hair was absolutely frazzled. His coats and his tie were draped across a chair beside him as he worked, his blue button up shirt halfway pulled out of his trousers, his sleeves haphazardly shoved up to his elbows. She inhaled, guilt spreading inside her. Despite her continuing hesitation, she could avoid the unpleasant task she'd been putting off no longer.

The Doctor straighten up at the sound of her footsteps, anxiously looking at her approaching form. Her face was mask-like and inscrutable; plastered upon it was a seemingly forced calm that made the hairs on the back of his neck raise in dread. He let her lead.

"I'm sorry if I worried you. I'm... fine, really," she said assured. "You startled me, that's all." Perhaps fine wasn't quite the most accurate term. Really the opposite was true, but he needn't worry about that.

He nodded, his dark brows still furrowed, though if his hunch was correct, and it usually was, her words were as phoney as her expression.

"Look," she said sitting on the opposite side of the table, "I realize this has got to be hard for you too, this transition into this life," she sighed. "I want to be there for you, and maybe I can be... as a friend and coworker. But that's all I can give you," she finished.

Her words settled into him, his worst fears realized. He didn't answer.

"Maybe, maybe we just need some space," she continued surveying him with her head to the side, looking for any reaction. "Time to think about things."

Now _his_ face was like stone.

"I'm not saying I don't want to see you anymore," she added quickly. "I do, I just, well it's just that I can't be _with_ you. I'm sorry." She stared at him but he didn't move or speak, the house suddenly feeling unnaturally still around them. His steady gaze bore into her, increasing her discomfort until she could stand it no longer. "Say something!" she finally blurted.

He leaned back into his chair. "What do you want me to say?"

"I," she looked down at her fidgeting hands. "I don't know," she finally admitted nervously.

"What changed?"

She whipped her gaze back up to his.

"On the beach, you kissed me. What changed?"

Her breath hissed between her teeth as she exhaled. "I... made a mistake," she said. "I was confused, I shouldn't have done that. I'm sorry."

"Sorry?" His insides twisted.

"Yes."

He nodded and then paused. "So that's it then?"

"Yeah."

He bit his lip. His mind was calculating. There were so many things he wanted to say, but in that moment he held his tongue.

Though she had spent but a couple of years time on board the TARDIS she knew a thing or two about the Doctor and his mannerisms. Mainly that they were hard to determine and that he was a master at deflecting and masking his true emotions. A small part of her wanted to see him visibly upset, to show at least _some_ outward sign of the feelings her other Time Lord supposedly shared for her, but instead he remained disturbingly calm. And that hurt. Because it confirmed to her what she had always feared- that she had loved him far more than he had ever loved her.

"Well I'm off to bed then," she said, gesturing toward the hallway with her head as she stood. She lingered momentarily, but when he simply nodded she knew it was time to go.

Sorrowfully he watched her figure disappear into the dark, his hope leaving with her.

Sitting forward, he rubbed his burning eyes with his hands. It wasn't supposed to be like this. _He should have never left her_, he thought to himself begrudgingly. What good was this arrangement if it made all three of them miserable? Maybe she _should_ be with the other him, but it was too late for that.

And what now?

He never meant to fall in love. Actually he had done everything he could to keep himself from doing so for centuries. His past aged and stuffy incarnations only aided him in pushing off such silly notions. He was a Time Lord after all, and Time Lords didn't value volatile emotions which encouraged one to act irrationally. Ever stoic and concerned with the universe, his kind had better things to focus on like academics and the time-honored traditions of his people. But he had never been one for rules and traditions, not even his own. In fact he had broken his own personal rule, the _cardinal rule: _never get too close to a companion. Because as he traveled more and more along humans he matured. He realized he didn't need the face of an elder to command respect any longer, nor did he feel the need to continue putting on the airs of pretending to be anything like the rest of his kind. Humans taught him that emotions _were_ valuable, and they let him know he was alive. It took him a long time to come to this revelation and it had not come without a fight. And it happened after he met Rose Tyler, that pink and yellow girl who got just a little too close.

And yet here they were. This is how it would end.

_No._

Slowly hurt turned to resolve. He had to try. He couldn't _not_ try. He couldn't find her again after all of that only to lose her like this. Not his Rose. He had nothing more to lose. There was _nothing_ left without her.

And he was done running. He finally had his chance- this beautiful and unbelievable and incredibly _frightening_ chance to have a real life. He wasn't waited down by the responsibility of being the last Time Lord in existence anymore nor did he walk in eternity any longer. He was mortal and he didn't have time to waste. And being _friends_ with Rose Tyler wasn't good enough. Not anymore.

He would give her time alright. Time to come to her senses. Maybe it was too much to ask her to accept him for who he used to be. Maybe he needed to prove himself to her now. At least he now he knew where she stood.

He exhaled. So, he would be needing that flat from Pete after all... And he'd have to keep the car. How incredibly _domestic_.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9  
**

Life was simpler before, the Doctor decided as he sipped a scalding cup of coffee watching Rose's distant form from the hallway at Torchwood that morning. Simpler when all they worried about was escaping from some far-flung planet without managing a prison sentence, avoiding hoards of angry mobs, offending dignitaries, accidentally altering the course of history, or stalling would-be executioners with idiotic rambling. In a sense running for their lives was a metaphor for running from responsibility but there was nowhere left to run now. For the first time he had to stop and face the consequences of his actions. And there, standing so very far away, was the unmitigated result.

It had been three weeks since he'd moved into his own flat. Three weeks of Torchwood. Three weeks of hell. Without traveling to occupy him he had found his brooding amplified as he sunk into a quagmire of past regrets and guilt, particularly regarding her. Perhaps he had been too optimistic before. For ages he had envied the life of humans who lived so brightly and loved so passionately. He wanted that life for himself. But it hadn't turned out that way, had it? And now there was nothing to escape the dullness, nothing to save him from the hold of his own mind. A fitting fate for one who committed genocide, he supposed.

And it was indeed the perfect punishment. Being on the slow path was maddening. It was monotonous and slow but worst of all he had done nothing of consequence since he'd arrived, spending most of his time cataloging futuristic spark plugs, alien hair dryers, and the like at _work_. The very word tasted bitter on his tongue. Oh he was careful to dot his _t's_ and mind his _q's_ in his struggle to keep a low profile. He was perfectly polite if not curiously brilliant, managing to fake his usual happy-go-lucky nature as he offered his services to any and all departments that needed a eye to keep them in check hidden behind a gentle guiding hand. They had concocted some back story about him being some government scientist who had worked on top secret projects in the past who needed a _change of pace_. It was an easy and vague enough story to keep the questions at bay. But none of it did anything to occupy his mind or expand his horizons. It was stifling.

He tried to be discrete, walking past her in the atrium on his way to fetch coffee in the mornings. There were the cordial waves and "hello how are you's" but things were hardly the same. Such greetings were the way one addressed casual acquaintances, with that stuffy air of politeness that hardly alluded to the deep level of unspoken communication they used to have. She acted friendly enough whenever she saw him but he could tell by her increased breathing, the way her eyes dilated, and the way her brows would draw up in hurt that she was still very much in mourning. He couldn't help but feel his only lifeline was slipping away from him.

Inventory was hardly as exciting as the thought of going on missions with her but he didn't impose. While he did his best to respect her request for space it didn't escape his notice just how close Rose and Jake had become. They were companions in every sense of the word like _they_ had been so long ago. It made him more than a bit green. For the first time in his life he had a glimpse of what past companions must have felt seeing themselves so easily replaced.

He took another sip as he watched them from afar joking at the computer terminal. Her laughter was short-lived replaced by that now disturbingly familiar look of despondency upon her tired features. She soon stood, stretching her arms high into the air as she arched her back. His eyes were drawn to the curve of her clingy white blouse, soft frills falling along the scooping neckline setting off her feathery dangling curls pulled back into a tasteful barrette. Gone were the days of graphic t-shirts and heavy eye makeup, it seemed. Gone was the besotted girl who didn't know who she was or what she was capable of. In her place stood a woman whose capabilities knew no bounds, who had matured into something so much more. He eyed her covetously as she yawned, slowly making her way back to her office down the opposite corridor.

Oh but he hadn't given up. Not yet. As a matter of fact, he was feeling a bit bold today. Maybe she would shrug him off, maybe not, but it was time to try. He flung his empty cup into a trash bin and followed her.

She had a decent head start. When he came to the hallway she had already disappeared into her office. Letting himself in, compliments to his screwdriver, he found her on the phone. He tossed his sonic in the air effortlessly catching it and stuffing it in his pocket as he strolled over to her metal desk to sit upon it's edge.

She gave him a quick acknowledging look before once again concentrating on her call. "Absolutely not, tell the Shuridolyte that Earth is not a suitable planet for him... I don't care if he came out of the rift or not! He can't go about the streets of London zapping people with a physic internalizer! Well if he can't communicate through speaking then he's just going to have to go off planet. He's scaring the locals. I- yes yes I know. No, Jenkins, you know that's not an option. No I don't authorize it. _Because!_ Jenkins I have other things to worry about! Settle this with a 2-31. No, no chicken should be necessary. That was a one-time thing." Even from her peripheral vision she caught the unmistakable rise of his left eyebrow. "No, no! Just do your job Jenkins!" She slammed the phone down with a sigh.

There wasn't even a knock to warn her he was coming. Instead he was suddenly next to her, sitting on her desk as if he owned the place. _Typical,_ she snorted silently_. _She struggled to focus on her screen, hoping her fast breathing wouldn't give her nerves away. Still, she was relieved to see him. She had tried to give them some space the past three weeks but truth be told she had missed him _terribly._ A large part of her had wondered if perhaps he didn't want to be close friends any longer after she had rebuffed his affection. They had barely spoken since he moved out. Of course he'd jokingly said it was because he couldn't take living with her mum in such close quarters any longer but she suspected it ran deeper than that.

"Aren't you supposed to helping team two with the signals case?" she asked nonchalantly as she could manage as she scanned city surveillance videos for clues regarding the recent disappearance of two Torchwood employees.

He pondered the best course of approach to break the ice. Indifference? Cool casualness? Hm, something not off-putting or clingy. Perhaps jest?_ Ah yes... set her at ease._ And himself too. He picked up a crumpled piece of paper from her desk and tossed it into the air. "Oh Rose but it's so... _boring_. Those signals are so sporadic and we haven't had any leads in the past two weeks. I thought it'd be a lot more interesting to come and bug you. Perhaps it's not so productive but the entertainment value, _priceless_." He was grinning madly at her as he tossed the paper playfully at her shoulder. She struggled to keep a smile from forming as it bounced onto her lap.

"Was that a smile?" he asked teasingly.

"No," she lied, not able to hide it any longer trying to look at her screen again.

Victorious, he giggled and hopped up. "Oh come on, Rose, when did you get so _boring _anyway? It's all work work work with you. Where's the fun? The passion?" he carried on exuberantly bouncing on the balls of his feet "I think _you_ need a break," he said bending forward slightly, his hands shoved in his pockets. "Fancy a bit of an adventure?"

She studied him carefully, deliberating on whether or not she should take him up on his offer. She still felt a bit raw from the events on bad wolf bay though the hurt she had felt on the beach was slowly turning to acceptance. She found now that when she looked upon this new Doctor her heart didn't sting quite as bad. Instead her stomach was full of butterflies like some school girl with a silly crush.

"Oh come on, what's an outing between old friends, eh?" he said casually. Of course if he was honest with himself it was more to him than that.

Rose bit her lip in contemplation. He _did_ ask her to look out for him and avoiding him indefinitely was hardly an effective way to do that. She sighed deeply. "Alright then, where's this mystery destination?"

"That madam is a secret," he stated suavely with a lopsided smile that made her traitorous heart skip a beat. "It's part of the fun. Come on," he beckoned titling his head toward the door.

"What? _Now_?" she asked taken aback. "I'm right in the middle of..."

"And that's the point," he said over emphasizing the words, taking a step closer. "It's time for something else in your life for once," he added with a more serious tone extending his hand.

For a brief moment she speculated if a double meaning lie hidden in his words. She hesitated before placing her hand in his. Abruptly she was catapulted upwards onto her feet, falling into his waiting arms as he steadied her. While fleeting, the moment left her dazed as he just as quickly turned to grab her dark blue leather coat from the back of her chair. He handed it to her with a contagious grin.

It was obvious they were headed further into downtown London as she took in the bustling city streets from the passenger window of his car. As they drove deeper into the city she spotted several familiar landmarks woven amongst the skyscrapers and shops. Some of them were different from her original earth, of course, but she had come to know them over the years. Big Ben was still there thankfully, as well as Downing Street though it was the home to the president instead of the prime minister. And of course the sky was riddled with floating zeppelins passing slowly overhead in an impressive show, a change she was quite fond of.

Nervously fidgeting with her hair, she stole a glance his way as they drove. _Why _was she doing this? Well one: he did say it was a casual outing between friends so it should be harmless enough, and two: he called it an adventure and having adventures with the Doctor was something she missed almost as much as him. She couldn't hide her brightened mood at being on an outing with this new Doctor despite her anxieties about their relationship.

The car jostled ever so slightly as they passed the threshold of a large bridge, the majestic aged stonework contrasting with the simplicity of the passing modern cars. Several boats passed beneath them, shining brightly under the overhead sun, deceptively bright for such a cool day. Once across, they continued down a side street until they diverted off into a parkade. Though she scanned the surroundings thoroughly she discovered no revealing clues as to what he had in store.

The Doctor had quickly sprung around, his coat blowing in the wind as he opened her door for her and extended his arm like a gentleman with a wide smile. The man was giddier than she had ever seen him, clearly _quite_ pleased with himself to hold his little secret. "Why are we here?" she queried with a sideways glance as she took his arm.

"This way," he gestured unable to hide his excitement as he tugged her arm along. They made there way down the sidewalks until they came upon it- Rose's face breaking into a wide grin. The Doctor positively beamed at her reaction, a smug giggle escaping his lips as he bounced on his feet.

"I thought you'd might like this," he chimed. "It's a perfect reproduction of the globe theater. Shakespeare himself would be proud," he declared before speaking lower in her ear and adding, "and I should know, I've met him." He bumped her shoulder as he began to walk faster. "Come on, if we hurry we'll make the next showing."

The theater was an impressive sight. The circular architecture was adorned with dark wooden beams offsetting the white of the exterior. Breaking from her arm he scurried up a flight of stairs lined by red brick, passing would-be audience members with much more haste and enthusiasm than was necessary. Rose followed suit with a grin, not to be left behind. Running after the Doctor was standard procedure for any companion and hardly out of the ordinary even for the most mundane of tasks.

He twirled at the top, swaying impatiently until she stood beside him. He couldn't be contained as he looped his arm around hers once more and ushered her forward. "That was an adventure," he stated as he began recounting the tale at an impressive speed. "Martha and I, we had to save the world from the Carrionite Sisters. Nasty bunch, them. Used Shakespeare's genius to try to open a doorway to let in the whole lot. Wanted to take over the entire planet. We only stopped them just in time..."

Something about him speaking about saving the world with another woman mildly upset her. She met Martha and liked her well enough but it didn't escape her notice that she was gorgeous. Perhaps too gorgeous. She wondered at just how many other young women he had taken across the stars in her absence.

"We got to see Shakespeare's lost play, Love Labor's Won! Of course, the last line wasn't _technically_ written by Shakespeare but still..." he continued.

He rambled on as they waited in line for tickets but her mind was elsewhere. Of course she knew she wasn't special, not really. Sarah Jane had been a wake up call in that regard. He had several companions throughout the centuries after all and she wasn't sure why she got the naive idea to think she had been the first or would even be the last. Didn't mean it didn't hurt.

"And then of all things _Queen Elizabeth the First_ sends her men after us! She called me her sworn enemy. Here we are running for our lives and laughing all the way! I still don't know what I'd done. Guess I never will now."

She snapped back to reality as he handed her a ticket. "This way!" he said gently guiding her to their seats with his hand on the small of her back and his breath upon her ear causing her heart to skip.

Rose found what she had been missing in her life as she watched the actors gracefully on stage. She had missed _living_. Years of pushing herself to the max had hardened her. But now as she watched the play next to her new Doctor she didn't have a care in the world. Just as fun as watching the play was watching his delighted reaction to the scene before him. He was so animated and passionate in his mannerisms, even more so than she had remembered, something his meld with fiery Donna must have accentuated. His smile was infectious and found herself wanting reach over and grab his hand on more than one occasion, now having a hard time concentrating on the play at all. Instead she was hyper aware of the man beside her, watching him from her peripheral vision.

There was something in the air between them, of that he was certain. Oh yes. There was definitely a spark. Her sultry gaze, the tantalizing pheromones she emitted, she couldn't hide that. It drew him in even closer. His own body responded in kind, his levels of adrenaline and endorphins elevating. Whereas a full Time Lord he could have easily shut off his endocrine system functions at will it was obviously beyond his ability now. As hindering as he found many of his human changes to be, somehow this didn't bother him. Such exquisite discomfort, being out of control. What a novel sensation. He struggled to focus on the play, unable to wipe a lop-sided smirk off his face at the confirmation that she was undeniably attracted to him.

_So, good night unto you all.  
Give me your hands, if we be friends,  
And Robin shall restore amends. _

At the end of the play they stood with the crowd, clapping merrily as the actors bowed, their ornate costumes glittering in the sun.

"Amazing," she said clapping vigorously, a bit sad for it to be over. "Are we off back home then?" she inquired thoughtfully, though not without a tad bit of remorse lining her voice.

"Nope, we've got one more stop to make, _very_ important." He led the way out of the crowded theater in the opposite direction of the parkade, instead following a line of shops along the river. She spied him questioningly. Laughter spilled from his lips at her expression. "Oh come on, you're gonna love it," he assured.

Without further fanfare he turned and entered, of all places, an ice cream shop. She couldn't help but laugh. "Oh that's so like you!"

As simple and unassuming as her words were, it made him more than happy to hear her refer to him specifically instead of his other self. Cones in hand they strolled side by side along the river, a cool breeze rustling by with the promise of colder days ahead.

"Now _this _is what it's all about," he began, breathing in the fresh crisp air. "Living day to day, not having to save the world every minute."

It struck her as odd, hearing him glorify ordinary living; this coming from the man who was mortified of settling down. At least, he had been as a Time Lord. "Do you ever feel stuck, not being able to travel?" she ask him before she could stop herself. _Great Rose, rub it in, _she chided herself_._ Despite her nosy question, to her surprise he didn't seem phased. In fact, he gave his cone a good lick before turning to her with a small smile.

"Stuck? I'm not stuck, not really. To be honest, there's nowhere I'd rather be than right here." And that was the truth. Moments like this made it all worth it.

She froze, her insides fluttering involuntarily once more, her cone slowly starting to drip along the side.

"Besides, stuck with you, that's not so bad." Softly he dabbed the side of her now slightly open mouth with a napkin, the edge his thumb ever so gently grazing her skin. His deep eyes shone so very brightly with what looked to be admiration that for a moment she was fixed in place by their power.

Without warning a muffled vibrating noise began emanating from her pocket. She inwardly cursed as she fumbled with her free hand looking for her mobile. Graciously, he reached over and grabbed her cone to aid her.

She squinted to read the tiny font in the bright sunlight. "Uh oh, there's been another confirmed disappearance of one of our agents. Two of them actually. And what's this? Seems they also pinged a signal an hour ago."

Up came the left eyebrow, the wheels turning in the Doctor's head. "The cases are related."

Rose glance up. "It would appear so, Sarge."

He grinned, thrilled at the familiar reference. "Well we'd best be getting back to work then, eh Lewis?" he said leaning in closer to her. "Time for some more _deducting_."

"Yep," she said popping the 'p', getting closer still.

"Guess we're working on this case together then," he said tossing the cones and offering his arm gleefully.

In that instant, taking the arm of her past investigative partner seemed so natural Rose did so without hesitation. They departed, practically skipping along.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

"Ah there you are," Jake said to the approaching duo of the Doctor and Rose at Torchwood after their hasty drive back. He beckoned them forward to his desk with a wave of his hand. "For some unknown reason two employees from level two, Doctor Cummings and Agent Rawlins, left of their own accord two hours ago. Shortly after that their badges stopped transmitting data. We pulled up the CC footage from a local shop. Have a look at this." The Doctor leaned over Jake's shoulder as he pulled up surveillance of a black sedan on a grainy city street on his computer terminal. "At exactly 3:22pm their badges stopped transmitting their location. We tried tracing their ear pieces but we're not getting anything. And if you look at the footage..." he pointed at the corner where the sedan had just disappeared behind. "There!" A bright flash shone reflecting on the buildings but whatever it was hid just out of view. "This was the exact moment we tracked a signal in earth's outer orbit. There's something up there, and whatever it is, it's taking Torchwood agents."

The Doctor wasted no time whipping out his very much _needed_ glasses, his face alight at the chance to crack a mystery once more. "Ah, very clever. _Teleportation_. Hm, at first I thought maybe the signal was coming and going but now..." He rudely commandeered the computer from the agent next to him, shooing him off, as he analyzed the data from the signal. Rose rolled her eyes and mouthed an apologetic sorry to the perturbed man left without a means to do his work. "Now I think whatever it is is still up there. Hidden maybe? But what would have that kind of technology here?" the Doctor asked, holding his chin in his hand.

"Well I wanna know why they left together. What do Rawlison and Cummings have in common?" Rose asked.

Jake tugged at the back of his collar. "Nothing from what I can tell. Cummings was a scientist working on NOVAE, Rawlison was working security."

"The signal," the Doctor interrupted them, focused on the screen before him. "I've never seen anything on that exact frequency before. It's something new. I don't recognize it."

Rose bent over beside him, getting perhaps a bit closer than she ought to. "Doctor what if it's not something new, it just looks new? Like Mickey said, blue traffic lights instead of red? Maybe the signal is something we've seen it's just a slightly different frequency in this universe."

"_Of course_!" he said. "Oh Rose Tyler you are brilliant!" He feverishly began typing away. "Hello there," he said with a smile as he amplified the signal. "Looks to be within the range of a cloaking device if you allow for two or three points difference for parallel universe variations. Whatever it is, if it's cloaked it's possible that it is visible briefly when it sends out a signal. If we calibrate the settings on one of the communications satellites orbiting earth we may be able to get a view of it the next time something happens."

"Can you get access to that from here?" Jake asked incredulously.

"Watch him," Rose said. "He thinks he's so impressive."

The Doctor paused. "Oi! That's because I _am_ so impressive," he retorted haughtily clicking away once more. "Ha! _Done_," he said over emphasizing the word for effect and clicking the last key loudly.

"In the mean time we should go to the area and see if anyone has seen anything that might help," Rose stated.

"Ah yes," the Doctor replied swiveling his chair to face them, his arms crossed. "The _domestic_ approach."

"You two go ahead. I'll monitor from here in case we get any more pings," Jake said.

"Righto. Off we go, Sarge!" Rose said beckoning the Doctor to join her with a nod of her head.

He grinned madly. She didn't have to ask him twice. Investigating alien abductions with Rose Tyler? What could be better?

Night had fallen by the time they reached the street in question. While they had combed the area most of the businesses and industrial buildings that had been opened during that time had just closed for the evening. Finding witnesses was proving difficult. They walked past the locked up store fronts and chained garages, his sonic in hand, the blue light raking across their surroundings.

"Well, no unusual energy readings from what I can tell, _although_, my sonic hasn't been entirely tuned to this universe yet," he murmured in concentration as he gave it a few taps.

She pulled her black jacket closer around her neck for a bit more warmth. "What do you mean, not 'tuned'?" she asked curiously.

"Well, it's like you said, each universe has it own slightly different resonances and signals. So the sonic needs some adjusting." He looked upwards at the night sky. While the lights of the city had crowded out most of the stars a stalwart few were still visible. He smiled, pointing in the air leaning close to her. "Like that star there, Bellatrix. Do you see it? Makes up part of the shoulders of the constellation of Orion. Lovely star, been to visit before. But here, in your universe it's a fraction out of place. _Well,_ I say out of place, but here it's right where it ought to be. Back home it would be half a degrees to the left."

She gazed up in fascination. "Huh. Well I'll have to take your word for it, 'cos I sure can't tell."

"And you see that there?" he asked, his face was full of wonder as he pointed to a star just to the east.

"Go on then. What is it?" she asked with a grin bobbing on her toes. She wouldn't have thought it possible for his smile to widen but it did.

"I have no idea. It's a _whole new_ universe out there."

She couldn't help but get lost in his enthusiasm. It was something of him she missed so very much.

For a moment he allowed himself to forget his task, taking in the dimmed light of the stars aloft as they leisurely ambled along. Though they shone poorly against the oppressive city glare he was nonetheless captivated. The extraordinary circumstances which brought him there, at that precise moment, to watch the night sky in that parallel universe began churning unanswered questions within.

His subtle change in expression did not go unnoticed. "Go on then, tell me what your thinking," she requested, bumping lightly into his side. "Got it sorted already?" Knowing him, he likely did.

He shook his head, pursing his lips in contemplation. "Nope, actually I was thinking of something entirely unrelated. Something I never did quite figure out."

"What's that then?" she questioned.

"Well," he began, shoving his hands in his coat pockets for a bit of warmth, his upward gaze unbroken, "How did the crack appear in this universe in the first place?"

"Well it was the darkness, wasn't it?"

He didn't answer, concentration upon his brow.

"Well if you don't think it was the darkness, then it must've been the Dalek void ship. It punched a whole in our universe, didn't it?" She often had to remind herself that time wasn't as linear as she had once thought. Even though the ship had appeared after they had found their way to Pete's World, the cracks could still very well span across all of time and space.

"Doubt it."

She blinked in surprise.

"Something else was at work there. That void ship didn't come from this universe, it came from ours. I can understand the crack from the void to our universe, but how did it cross all the way over here? It takes an awful lot of power to rip a hole spanning the entire void. Not even I have the power to do that. And why _this_ earth, _this_ time period? It's proximity to your native timeline is uncanny. That's why I doubt the void ship was involved. Statistically speaking it's a near impossibility."

"Yeah but I've traveled between all sorts of parallel worlds and times but only after the darkness came," she contended as they continued down the sidewalk.

"Well... the darkness was responsible for the cracks that let you travel across universes and time, yes, but not the one that originally led us here. That was caused by something else, something that predated the darkness. That's the mystery I'd like to solve."

"But the crack is sealed, isn't it?"

"For now," he said thoughtfully.

Her heart stopped. "_What_?" she asked tensely. He had told her it would be sealed forever, her Time Lord, that day on the beach.

"Well bad wolf bay seems to be a weak point. The crack started in London, and ran all the way to Norway. I didn't realize it at first, but considering we ended back there a few weeks ago now I suspect it's a time scar. One more disturbance large enough and the crack will rip open again. Like popping open a stitch," he carried on before realizing she was no longer in step with him. He turned to look at her inquisitively. Something about her stance and the expression on her face unnerved him.

"You mean, we could get back?" she croaked, her voice quivering in sync with the shiver now running down her body.

He swallowed hard. "Not without putting both universes at risk." And to do so would take cosmic forces much stronger than he was capable of producing nor would he be willing to try.

She eyed him tentatively before accepting his answer with a nod. "I don't understand though, Doctor. Don't you... _want_ to go back?" she asked quietly. He was separated from the TARDIS, from _everything_. Things hadn't exactly worked out the way he had planned. Surely he would want to go home and have his life back if given the chance.

He didn't answer. In fact, he thought he had been rather clear about this topic while they were eating ice cream by the river earlier. Had she'd already forgotten? Instead he asked the immediate question which popped into his mind though he suspected he already knew the answer. "Do you?"

Her eyes fell. "It doesn't matter anymore," she said with a shrug and a small smile.

He nodded, the simple truth speaking volumes despite her deflection. Of course she did.

"I'm sorry, 'bout before," she said suddenly with a sniff, her still upon the ground. "For telling you off 'bout the dimension cannon." She stole a quick glance at his face, rimmed with the light of the street lamp behind him.

He nodded once more. "I understand what it means to you, what it represents."

"Yeah," she whispered, looking up at the stars again.

"Please destroy it." He knew he was asking for more than just a way to prevent catastrophic universal collapse; he was asking her to move on, to choose him.

She cut him a sideways glance. "I... _will_. Tomorrow. I'll take care of it tomorrow."

"Thanks," he said with a warm smile.

Rose's eyes then shifted to the graffiti covered walls about them, the glow of the streetlights casting an orange hew upon stacked boxes, lose newspapers, and trash bins as they started walking once more."It's odd," she noted as she scanned the tops of the buildings, "you'd think there would be at least one camera that would have caught this thing by now. It's as if it waits until it won't be seen before acting."

His mouth twisted in thought. "Very good. I think you're onto something. But who would know exactly where a Torchwood agent was going to be unless..." they both stopped walking abruptly and looked at each other.

"Someone from Torchwood is directly involved in this," she finished for him. "We've got to tell dad."

"Don't use your phone. Whoever is doing this may be listening in. You should tell him when you get home."

"I've got to let Jake know. We can trust him," she spoke softly.

Slowly the Doctor nodded. "But the fewer the people we let in on this the better."

* * *

Casually a figure in black snuck past fellow Torchwood employees before descending down the stairs, around the corner, and into a sound-proof holding cell. Nothing but the faint red glow of an earpiece combated the darkness.

"Report," echoed a monotonous voice from the glowing device.

"The personnel have been delivered and the requested files have been uploaded.," whispered the figure in reply. "I also have confirmation; the scan of the subject indicates trace levels of unknown energy source matching that discovered two weeks ago."

"Understood. Secure a bio sample of the subject and acquire further intelligence on the transmat blocker protecting the facility."

"Copy." With that, the door shut and darkness claimed the space once more.

Aboard the ship, the armored general stood behind the creature as the communication disconnected. "Time is wasting. Have you anything of worth? What of the weapons schematics?"

"The files and prisoners should provide all the information we require." With a soft click the screen on the wall lit up.

"Interesting. _Primitive_, but intriguing. Is this the source of the energy we pinged?"

"Negative. Energy readings are centralized around one subject. Could be biological or external."

"Bring it on board and study it then, why wait?"

"The subject displays characteristics beyond human capabilities. Further testing within the native environment is required before the proper species can be identified."

"I fail to see the merit in pursing this... creature. Surely determining the strength of their stolen alien firepower is a better use of our time."

"Energy readings from the subject suggest regenerative capabilities. If harnessed the power could have military applications."

A sneer grew upon the face of the commander revealing a row of pointed teeth. "Promising. _Very promising. _Very well, we will _allow_ this to continue."

With that the door opened and the room stood empty and still once more.

* * *

After two hours of continuing to search the area and questioning the stray passersby they were no closer to solving the case. Whatever had occurred, the signal had once again stopped without explanation. It wasn't long before Rose complained of an empty stomach (and admittedly he was hungry too but really that was a constant). Determined to try again in the morning, they found themselves parked by a bright neon sign partly burnt out flickering in the cool night as they entered a nearly empty burger restaurant.

The day had gone better than he had ever hoped. She was obviously warming up to him, holding his arm, referring to him instead of the other him when talking about his past, _flirting _even. And he had the perfect excuse to work with her for the foreseeable future now that their investigations were one in the same. Perhaps this was the catalyst he needed to once again enter her life. Now here they were, eating burgers and chips like old times. It was the perfect date. Well, at least to _him_. He watched her fondly as she slid off her coat and started munching on her chips.

She looked up at him curiously and immediately felt a wave of self-consciousness. "Do I have something on my face?" she asked embarrassed, holding her hand up to her mouth.

He snickered. "No no, it's just... I..." he started, unsure of what to say. "It's just... I _miss_ this," he finally replied. "Sight seeing, investigations, chips, all of it." His soft eyes looked at her earnestly.

Another wave of flutters settled into her insides. "Me too," she replied truthfully.

He nodded as a lopsided smile stretched upon his lips. "Good."

"So tell me then, what went on after me? Plenty of adventures I'm sure," she asked before taking a bite of her burger.

"Oh well... you know me, lots of trouble in between occasional sight seeing," he grinned mischievously. "I saved the earth from poison, helped new earth, oh and stopped the Daleks _again_. Went into hiding in 1913 to starve off a family of aliens, got trapped in 1969, stopped the Adipose from turning the earth's population into living fat creatures, freed the Ood, stopped the Titanic from crashing on Buckingham Palace, oh and let's see... visited Agatha Christie!" He smiled once more though his smile didn't quite reach his eyes. There were some things he just couldn't bring himself to tell her because they were just to raw or painful to discuss, like the Racnoss, Pompeii, Jenny, and the Master.

"Blimey, you did do a lot! I knew about some of your adventures, things which messed up the timelines and such, but not all of them."

"Oh yeah?" he asked curiously, popping a chip in his mouth.

"Yeah, like I said, the cannon could measure timelines and detect anomalies," she began. "We were able to track which universe was my home one based on whether or not there was a gap in my personal timeline. From that I was able to jump from reality to reality to determine what was supposed to happen and what wasn't so I could help Donna get back to you and set things straight. Sometimes I was even pulled through when I hadn't meant to be without the cannon at all. I reckon that was Dalek Caan's work. I ran into Donna a couple of times that way. And there were so many times that I had _just_ missed him, just barely." Her eyes had fallen every so slightly, overcome with the images and memories of dark alleyways coupled with the faint sounds of the departing TARDIS. That had been the worst, knowing that he had just been there, _just_ walked where she had walked and yet the powers of the universe decreed that she could not see him. Sometimes she wanted nothing more but to go back on her own timeline when she was still traveling just to catch a glimpse of him from afar, even for a second, but she knew it was far too great a risk. "I tried sending messages to warn him but he never noticed them," she added dispiritedly, her eyes on the table.

"Really?" he asked, lowering his soda. "When?"

"Several times," she whispered, her eyes momentarily focusing on the unseen before flicking back up. "Guess it worked out the way it was meant to though. We stopped the darkness and that's what matters most. It was all traveling through time fissures, tracking down nexus points, and trying not disrupt the time-space continuum in the process," she said with cool casualness, brushing her feathery hair to the side ever so slightly.

He couldn't help but feel a surge of pride at hearing her discuss how she managed to figure out the complex nature of time in order to find him again. Several adjectives popped into his mind when describing the woman in front of him: genius being the one forefront on his mind followed closely by fearless, loyal, spunky, and fun. And sexy. _Oh yes._ He found her talking timey wimey goobly gob to be _quite_ attractive indeed.

"But that was only the past few months," she said, slurping from her straw quickly before continuing. "The five years before that were similar to your adventures, 'cept we didn't have the luxury of time travel until the cannon started working. Still though... there was a fair bit of saving the earth, well _this_ earth anyway." She let out a laugh before continuing. "There was this once time, we uh, we saved the world from the _Scepter of the Flited Silthfae,_" she said quoting the air with her fingers. "It came out of the rift. It was full of these... these energy beings but we didn't know it at the time. Someone set it too close to an outlet and the aliens inside got loose. The blackout of 2011, if you ever hear about that, that was us! We had to cut the power in order to lure them in a containment box. You should have seen me! Ooo I got singed! I got the shock of my life, I did! My hair was standing straight up!" she giggled, her hands splayed above her hair in gesticulation.

He chortled at the thought as he grabbed another chip. Oh he wished he could have seen that.

"But if you thought I looked bad, you should have seen Jake! He got shot across the room. Did you know, he tried to go without electricity for a week after that?!" She laughed heartily leaning closer to him.

His smile shrunk ever so slightly. He looked down at his food before asking,"So you and... Jake?"

She looked at him a bit confused before her eyes drew up in understanding. "Oh! Um... no. We're- we're just partners," she said with a nod. "Well, _now_ anyway. When Mickey was with us we called ourselves Team 3, team of three." She let out a sigh as she picked up a chip from her plate, her eyes once more seeing into the past.

Ah yes, Mickey. She had just been with him until a month ago. He had already forgotten. Of course he was always doing that when it came to Mickey. For his part, Mickey the idiot had proven himself to be so much more than even the Doctor had thought was possible. He was proud of him, but that still didn't make him any less envious of what he had. It had been Mickey to see straight through his pretense of friendship with Rose. But things had changed between Mickey and Rose since then, or at least he'd thought so. He now wondered if things had picked up between them in his absence. Six years was a relatively long time for a human to be out of a relationship after all.

"You miss him." He wasn't really asking but rather stating. Or perhaps he was probing for the answer to the question he now wasn't sure he really wanted to ask.

She nodded, looking down at her food. "It's just that, well he was my only friend here for a while. I mean there was mum, and dad, and then Tony. But Mickey and I, we had been through so much together."

His gaze fell to the table. Perhaps she did still have feelings for him then.

"But, he's moved on now," she said inhaling. _Good for him,_ she silently told herself as she looked down, swirling a chip in a bit of ketchup. He was starting a new life while she would never be able to move on. "But no, there's no one now. Things with Mickey just got complicated. That ended long ago. Before we even came here."

He nodded secretly relieved, much as he had been the last time he had said goodbye on Bad Wolf Bay. She had actually teased him into thinking she was pregnant before clarifying it was her mother who was expecting. Although he was sure he was never going to see her again and he truly wanted her to be happy, he was nevertheless pained by the thought.

"And it sounds like he's moved on then, I mean, from me..." she said attempting to sound somewhat neutral and upbeat but unable to hide the hurt in her voice. "New adventures, new... _companions_." She bit her lip.

"Oh, um, right. Well, there was Martha, and Donna. Both of them, _brilliant_ they were," he said affectionately before a stab of regret pinched his nerves.

"What?" she asked seeing his expression fall. "What is it?" She had thought that things had ended well with them both, though she didn't really know much about either of them, perhaps Donna a bit more than Martha.

"Oh, it's nothing," he said, staring off with a sniff trying to shake it off. It was a lie of course. Actually he felt awful about the pain he caused Martha and her family and for the unspeakable act which had to have happened to Donna by now to preserve her life.

Rose couldn't help but feel frustrated. When he wasn't honest and upfront she always assumed the worst. And now she couldn't get the thought out of her mind that maybe her Doctor had been involved with someone like Martha, or who knows, maybe even Donna as well. She curled her hair in between her fingers and fidgeted with her food lost in worry.

It was a painful silence for both of them until he once again spoke. "But they weren't you," he finally whispered, almost inaudibly.

She eyes shot back up at him, her stomach dropping. He was still looking out of the window, his face so very full of sadness.

"After... you were lost, I- It was... _hard_," he finally managed now absently tracing the lid of his soda. Talking about it was so very out of character for him, but if he was going to work towards a relationship with Rose he was going to have open up to her, especially when it came to his feelings where she was concerned. "Just wasn't the same old TARDIS without Rose Tyler aboard," he said with a half smile finally looking her way once more. What a cop out. It was so much deeper than that and he knew it.

She nodded. She planted a polite smile upon her mouth. Though she was glad to have made at least some impact she still couldn't help but feel he had moved on so very fast, something that she clearly was unable to do. Her every waking thought the past six years had been of him, her every effort trying to get back to him, and here he was off having adventures and inviting other women to live with him on the TARDIS. Obviously he had a much greater impact on her than she had on him. In the end she had in fact just been one in a long line. It was disheartening. She tried not to let it show as she took a deep breath.

"Did he... did he ever mention me?" she asked.

He nodded with a warm smile.

She bit her lip, pleased for at least that small comfort. "I often wondered if things would be different, if I came back as a companion," Rose said suddenly, looking off to the side. "Part of me hoped that... that if I got back maybe we'd be together, like a proper couple, you know? But I knew it was long shot. I mean, he's a Time Lord. He doesn't do that sort of thing with companions, does he? I also realized there was a good likelihood that nothing would have changed. It would have been: '_Welcome back, Rose. Your room is just how you left it, down the corridor to the right. Settle in and on to the next_!' He was always on the go. And there were just these unstated rules, invisible lines between us that were implied but never spoken about. I never knew if it was just him or if it was an alien thing. There was so much I didn't know, _still_ don't know, about Time Lords. And to be honest, I hardly knew him. I bet no one does. Not really."

"You more than most."

"But that's just him, innit? 'S just who he is. The 'lonely god'." She snorted silently. "He was so... _private_ for a man who managed to talk so much."

He laughed. "You realize I am right here, don't you Rose? I mean, that's me you are talking about."

"Yes, well, not anymore, right? I mean, you are different now. I can tell," she asserted, plopping a fry in her mouth.

"Can you?" he asked rather surprised, not sure whether such a thing was good or bad.

"I can, yeah. You are more open with me than he ever was. You let me get so much closer than he ever did, than he ever could." Her eyes fell to the table, tinged with sadness.

Troubled, he mulled over her observations before answering."It's just a matter of circumstance, Rose, not a difference in our personalities. When he saw you again, he had every intention of being upfront with you about how he felt. As a matter of fact, if that Dalek hadn't been in the way, that reunion in the street would have ended very differently."

Her heart started to flutter then instantly sank nauseatingly at the implications of his words. She had many questions but couldn't find the strength to ask them. Instead she let out a yawn, the weight of the day finally culminating on her weary body. "Well, 's getting late. Time to get back, yeah?"

"Yep," he said popping the "p" in agreement.

It was nearly midnight by the time they had made their way back to the grand Tyler Estate, the familiar white columns lit up in the night. He pulled up to the circular driveway as Rose opened her door letting in the chilly air.

She paused before leaving. "Thanks, thanks for everything. I haven't had proper fun in... a long time," she said not wanting to admit that it had been years. "Goodnight, _Doctor,_" she uttered, her breath hanging in the frigid air.

"'Night, _Rose Tyler_," he said drawing out her name sending a shiver up her back that had little to do with the cold as she shut the car door.

Leaning against the closed mansion door with a sigh, she watched as his headlights threw light into the hall, bouncing off mirrors and vases until the sound of tires on gravel faded. There were so many feelings swimming through her in that moment. She was both hurt and happy, if such emotions could coexist. Amidst the confusion stood one unclouded truth: she was _undeniabl_y drawn to this man, this _new_ man. But it was more than that. She felt alive, more alive than she had felt in years.

At first she thought seeing the new Doctor day after day would be too painful, but with the smarmy crooked grins and adorable laughs, constant factoids, pinstripes, and converse came a taste of the familiar, doing far more to fill the large void left by the life she once knew in one day than any daring adrenaline inducing mission or mundane day with her family ever could hope to do over the past six years. And while she still had plenty of healing to do, healing that would undoubtedly involve occasional bouts of pain at seeing his face, she realized that living a life without him the past few weeks had been no life at all. Maybe he was right. Maybe she needed more in her life. Maybe, just maybe, there was a bit of room for a new friendship.


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

"And you're sure it's someone from the inside?" Jake asked in a hushed tone his arms folded leaning in next to Rose in the busy atrium in the next morning.

"It has to be someone who knows where these agents are going," Rose replied after divulging her hunch about an inside mole at Torchwood. "So yeah. Who could that be?"

He peeked around before speaking low in her ear. "Anyone with access to the tracking on our badges could know. That's anyone with level four clearance and above."

"That doesn't narrow it down enough," she said exhaling in frustration, pushing her sleek hair behind her shoulders.

"Chin up! You'll figure something out," he said with a smirk as he lifted her face to his. "You always do." He brushed his fist along her jawline playfully.

A slight smile found it's way to the edge of her lips. "Yeah, I reckon you're right."

"And besides, we have the Doctor on our side now. He's a clever one, eh?"

She nodded her small smile blossoming into a smirk at the pleasant memories of the day before.

"Are you two..." he said questioningly.

Her eyes grew wide. "Oh, um... no. No we're- just friends."

He gave her an incredulous look.

"What?!" she puffed defensively, inexplicably finding herself blushing.

"So you're telling me that all that work we did to get back to him traveling across universes, facing Daleks, it was all so you two could be _friends_?!"

Her mouth fell open, caught on her words. "Well... he's not exactly..."

"What?" Jake questioned.

"He's not exactly the Doctor," she finally admitted, looking off to the side. Admitting the truth was another painful reminder that_ her _Doctor had moved on. That he hadn't wanted her.

His brows knitted in confusion. "What?"

"Well you met the Doctor, you remember him right? Well this is not him. It's sort of another... _version_ of him if you will. He's kind of like a copy only not exactly."

Jake's expression remained one of absolute confusion.

"It's just sort of hard to explain," she mumbled.

"How can there be two of him? He's just a _man_ after all."

"Well actually he's not," she said suddenly. "Didn't you know?" Surely he did.

"Hold on, you're telling me he's not _human_?" he asked skeptically.

"Wait, I'm sure I've told you this before," she contended. How on earth did he not hear the back story after six years of working with him?

"Actually no. You were snippy whenever I brought up the topic to be quite honest. Always brooding about, _pining_ after him."

Her eyes narrowed. "The other him," she corrected curtly.

"I see some things never change."

She shot him a cross look.

He folded his arms, eager to push his luck. "So is he like someone who can duplicate himself at will? What kind of alien is the Doctor, _exactly_?"

"A brilliant one," The Doctor's voice sounded suddenly from behind them, him having caught the tail end of their conversation. He casually strode forward with a cocky smirk.

Rose couldn't help but smile. Only he could pull off arrogance with such suave. She suspected it had something to do with his adorable face which he expertly used to exploit the sympathies of others. Or perhaps he was unaware of his charms. She gave him a good look over, him looking positively polished in his brown pinstriped suit and perfect hair. He winked. _Doubtful_.

"Ready then?" he asked her, practically preening to see her wandering eyes upon him. It made him even more excited for a day of investigation, if that were possible.

"Yep," she said stepping from out behind the desk as they stepped in sync, grabbing her black leather jacket from the back of the chair.

"And might I add you look lovely today," he said with grin, his own eyes shamelessly wandering over her silk blouse which was pleasantly close fitting.

Once again she felt her face flush. She couldn't decide whether to be happy that she had his eye or concerned. She settled for both, sliding her jacket over her shoulders as they departed side by side.

The streets were bustling as they retraced their steps from the night before.

"Did you talk to Pete?" he asked as he fidgeted with Rose's phone in concentration, peering at it through his dark rimmed glasses.

"Yes, he knows. He wants us to keep an eye out for anyone acting suspiciously. Like you, he doesn't want to bring anyone else in on this but us three."

"Good. Well, according to GPS this is the exact location of the disturbance," said the Doctor, holding it up after using it to hack in Torchwood's database in under a minute. He looked back into the seemingly typical street as he pocketed his spectacles. "There doesn't seem to be anything out of the ordinary from what I can see."

"Can I have my phone back now?" she asked holding out her hand worried at his penchant for tinkering to the point of fault. He handed it back absentmindedly. "You know you should get your _own_ mobile. I don't know why you don't have one yet. It's not like you have to get an earpiece anymore now that the mobile industry has taken off. Loads of people switched after the Cybermen incident. And even _those_ are safe now. By law they can't connect directly to the brain anymore. 'S just simple sounds waves like any old phone. Even Jake's got one." Rose elected to buy a mobile instead, out of habit rather than safety concerns.

"Oh but _why_?" he whined shoving his hands in his trench coat pocket. He never really liked the idea of people being able to bug him. Even his phone on the TARDIS had been for emergencies only.

"What if I need to talk to you?" she brought up.

Her comment caught him off guard. He was sure she probably meant in the context of the investigation but the possibility of her calling just to chat warmed him up a bit to the prospect of getting one. Perhaps it meant she had enough time and space away from him. "Hmm, well I suppose _that'd_ be okay. So long as you didn't give my number to your _mother_."

She let out a healthy laugh.

"Of course, we could always adapt the Telusian method of communication instead," he said matter-of-factly.

It was only obvious by his smug expression and sideways glance that he was waiting for her to ask before he would provide anymore clues to what on earth he was talking about. He knew very well that she had know idea what the telly-whatever method of communication entailed. God his head was a huge as a Raxacoricofallapatorius. "Oh go on then, make yourself look clever if you'd like," she teased, giving his arm a slight shove.

His teeth shined as he pushed back against her playfully with his shoulder. "Well it involves a high lung capacity, a gredgian sonic whistle, and a lot of noise. _Well_... I say a lot of noise but what I really mean is it's likely to get us jailed for disturbing the peace. And when I say jailed I mean countries around the globe will be fighting to jail us because half the world will hear us. Makes having a private conversation a bit difficult, but once you've got the complex sound code down it's really quite an art form."

She stopped, shaking her head in amused disbelief at his ridiculous rambling. He stopped as well, pivoting on his feet with a scuff to give her a sweeping look. "On second thought, I'm not sure _you_ lot could handle a gredgian sonic whistle. No superior Time Lord respiratory system," he insulted with a cheeky smile.

Her hand met his shoulder with a thwack followed by his pretentious snickering. "Nor you, if you recall mister _part-human_."

"Don't remind me," he groaned. "Ah well, mobile phone it is then," he conceded with brief mock disdain before a smile overtook his lips.

After failing to find any pedestrians who had witnessed the bright light from the night before, the Doctor turned to look at the garage behind them. The large metal door was pushed up to reveal several cars and two mechanics tending to the vehicles as an old boombox blasted in the background.

"Hello there! I'm the Doctor and this is Rose," he said strolling forward. God it felt good to be uttering those words again. "How are you today?"

Thirty minutes later, and fully drenched, they staggered back out onto the street, Rose bent over in a fit of laughter, her hair stringy and flat against her face dripping onto the oil stained concrete floor. "I can't believe you just did that!" she said trying to catch her breath. He laughed with her at the absurdity of it all. "And they asked you not to mess with nothin'! Look at this mess now!"

The two mechanics were now both standing, wide eyed, wet, and angry staring at them both after an unfortunate miscalculation with the sonic resulted in the sprinkler system soaking them all in ice cold water.

"Look, _look_ at them!" she pointed still completely unable to move, heartily heaving. "Their faces!"

"They are _so_ not amused!" he teased, as he soon found himself lost in laughter as her guffaws reached a crescendo, her close proximity having him feeling positively intoxicated.

"They probably think were' bonkers!" she said finally starting to breath again as the scowling two men retreated into their garage. It felt so good to laugh,_ really_ laugh.

"Maybe they're not too far off."

"Right," she said holding her stomach as she tried to come to her senses. "Well now we're a right mess, look at us! We can't very well go around town investigating like this!" she exclaimed wringing her hands as water dripped down her jacket.

"Wouldn't be the first time," he reminded her. "There was that unfortunate incident with that bucket of..."

"Yes, I remember Doctor," she teased with her tongue between her teeth. "And rather not, thank you."

He grinned before a shiver slid down his chest. "Bit nippy for investigating all wet, innit? And anyway we've hit a dead end. There's nothing here."

"Well we'll have to get back home and change," she said with a sniff.

"Nah, my place is closer," he said. "We can pop in an dry off. Come on."

"But what about my clothes?" she asked.

"Oh a quick toss in the dryer and they'll be fine," he said ushering her to the car just down at the end of the block.

She felt a bit taken off guard at the sudden change of plans but didn't object. Anything to get warm again. And she couldn't shake her amusement that here he was, _the Doctor_, with his own little flat complete with carpets and doors. W_ho would have thought, _she said to herself spying him as they entered the car. She was incredibly curious to know what a part Time Lord's home even looked like, never having personally seen the Doctor's room on the TARDIS.

After a bit of a drive they arrived at the end unit of a long line of two story flats, the gray stonework elegant and well maintained, a row of large trimmed square bushes stopping just beneath the windows. It reminded her of him, she decided, impressive and older than appearances suggested save for the weathered windows which revealed the structure's true age, much like his ancient eyes. Naturally he pulled out his sonic instead of his key.

"Welcome to my humble abode." He held the door open as she entered, their wet shoes squeaking on the hardwood floor.

Whatever she had expected, this wasn't it, but after seeing it she realized it could have never been anything different. The room was rather narrow but long and open to the kitchen at the end. She supposed the place had come furnished as it had a neutral tan-colored couch and coffee table, some black lamps with white shades, and a flat TV mounted to the wall. These were normal enough, but the sheer amount of books stacked along the edges of the room as well as the various gadgets on every surface were a surprise. And the lack of carpet didn't escape her notice either. She wondered if that hadn't been deliberate after their little discussion on Krop Tor.

She looked down at the coffee table and picked up a hefty book, _Physics and the Spatio-Temporal Patterns Within_. No doubt it was for a bit of light reading. She set it upon the _The Cambridge Ancient History Volume II._

"Sorry, I wasn't expecting company," he said taking a sheepish look around. "What do you think?" he asked, somehow more nervous than he ought to be. He had left the living area in a state of clutter. _Well, organized chaos,_ he corrected himself.

"'S very you," she said nodding as she took it all in.

He gave a small smile.

"Been doing a lot of reading I see," she said with a nod towards the books on the coffee table.

"Yes, well, needed to brush up on my 'Pete's World' history. Don't want to be talking about things that never happened after all. However will I be respected at Torchwood as an adviser if I sound like an idiot? Can't have that," he said, bouncing lightly on the balls of his feet.

"Oh not at all. Can't have anyone thinking you're less than a genius," she said, a smile in her voice.

"Right you are, Rose. That would be a travesty indeed. And completely unfair, because I _am _a genius," he quipped with mock seriousness adjusting his wet tie as she giggled. "Right, well you'll probably want to dry yourself off. This way..." he strode into the hallway as she lagged behind. She stopped short as her eyes fell upon the closet just to the right. It was clearly bigger on the inside. She let out a small laugh.

"Right, here you are," he said shoving a fluffy brown towel and a navy robe in her hands. "And here's the loo. You can throw your clothes in the dryer when you're done, just in here." He opened white slatted accordion doors to reveal a washer and dryer before passing her by.

She nodded appreciatively though it all made her feel a bit uncomfortable. It seemed sort of... _wrong_ to her for him to be talking about such ordinary things like laundry. She opened the door to the bathroom to find it tiled with white ceramic subway tiles from the floor to midway up the wall. The top half had been painted a powder blue, several holes in the walls alluding to the previous tenants who had hung pictures, something the Doctor obviously hadn't bothered to do. The glass shower stood to her left, as well as a small white vanity and mirror. She couldn't help but notice his razor and a black comb set by the sink. Somehow being in his personal space felt very... _alien_.

Still dripping and a bit chilly she turned to lock the door and hang up her soaking leather jacket upon the towel bar. It would have to air dry. Her wet clothes crumpled to the floor as she kicked them to the side. Once she was properly dried she wrapped his navy robe tightly around her, his familiar scent mingled with the smell of his aftershave wafting over her. Pulling the collar up to her nose she inhaled. Oh it smelled good. She picked up the comb and began the tedious task of untangling her now wild hair.

_There's nowhere else I'd rather be than right here._

_Stuck with you, that's not so bad._

_They weren't you._

His words from the day before swam in her mind and stirred her heart as she watched herself in the mirror. She was attracted to him like a moth to the flame and for that she felt guilty. A part of her wanted to toss her resolve out the window and snog him into next week. How could she be so incredibly shallow as to be so quick to forget about her Doctor, her _real_ Doctor? Fresh ache settled in her. Oh how was she going to manage all this? The new Doctor was just as amazing and funny and brilliant and... complicated. Just a cryptic, just as distant in his own way. Of course she wasn't helping in that regard. She had been trying to keep him away after all. And now she realized she didn't _want_ to keep him away but by letting herself get this close she was taking a risk.

But would it be all that different from what it was before, with the other Doctor? She loved him enough to give her very lifefor him. She faced Daleks and Cybermen, absorbed the time vortex, and nearly fell into the void itself for this man yet they always had invisible boundaries that they never crossed. As a matter of fact, if she had never been stranded here the first time, it was likely things still wouldn't have changed between them. They'd still be holding hands, nothing more, dashing off to the next adventure without looking back. She would never have gathered the courage to tell him how she felt, not after that business with the Krilletanes and Sarah Jane. She had consigned herself to the fact that hers was an unrequited love after that day, and it was best not to push her luck lest he kick her to the curb. She only told him on that beach because she never thought she'd see him again. Of course it was then he was about to tell her the same and for the same reason, or so she thought. The events on the beach just two weeks prior still had her head spinning as to whether or not he felt for her as she did for him.

She sighed. Her hair now smoothed she piled her clothes into her hands to take them to the dryer. Afterward she went to find him in the living area.

He sat waiting patiently on the couch, having dressed into one of his spare suits while she was readying herself. She entered, still dabbing her blond tresses with a towel, wrapped snugly in his robe, her bare legs curling next to her as she sat on the opposite end. He felt slightly embarrassed to see her so... wet. No that wasn't the right term. She'd been wet before during past mishaps. And undressed wasn't accurate either because she was very well covered up, but he couldn't get the fact that she wasn't _exactly_ dressed and wearing _his_ robe out of his mind.

"Well, looks like I'll be here for at least forty-five minutes. My clothes were soaked pretty good," she said, oblivious to his blatant staring. "Those poor blokes," she laughed, idly twirling her wet hair. "I reckon dad will give me an earful when they call to report a complaint."

"Hm? Oh... _right_." In fact he had modified the dryer to work much more efficiently. Her clothes were likely to be done in ten minutes or so, but he was too busy lost in his thoughts to bother correcting her.

"So tell me," she began "what does a part Time Lord do in his spare time?" She looked around the room with curiosity, taking it all in.

His eyes widened and he took a deep breath. "Oh the usual _human_ stuff I suppose. Telly, take out, and books with a bit of jiggery-pokery thrown in."

"Sounds about like what I expected," nodding and pursing her lips glancing about. "Sounds like... _fun_."

"Yeah?" he asked meeting her eyes with a slight grin.

She nodded with a grin of her own.

"Well you don't have to be a stranger you know. The door's always open. I'm always up for a bit of company," he remarked. "As a matter of fact," he reached over into his wet trench coat pocket hanging on the coat rack next to him and pulled out a small copper colored key. "Here!" he held it out to her. "Just in case, for anything or nothing at all."

A bit surprised she looked over at him, not sure what to make of it. "Are you in the habit of handing your key to people?" she asked trying to play it off.

He grinned. "Well yes and no. It's always been a contingency plan of mine with the TARDIS in case anything went wrong. Came in handy a few times as you might recall. This place may not be the TARDIS," he said giving it a good looking over, "but I suppose there's enough in here that could cause alarm that it's best someone else I trust be able to get in just in case." _Or maybe I just want you to come over, _he added silently.

"Alright then, consider me your emergency contact," she said with a smirk.

He gave a chortle. "Except whatever trouble I'm likely to be in you're now likely to be wrapped up in too!"

"True," she said laughing, the robe sliding down her thigh in response. She moved quickly to cover herself but the he instinctively pulled forward to lift her robe just above her knee. A deep scar ran across her leg showing what was once a very nasty wound. He gently ran his finger across the raised tissue causing her to shiver at his touch before looking up at her questioningly.

She didn't meet his eyes, instead she roughly tugged the robe back over her knee. "'S nothing," she muttered flatly, hoping he would drop it.

"How is _that _nothing?" he asked somberly, all manner of scenarios now swimming in his mind, none of them pleasant.

"Just part of the job," she dismissed impassively. He would likely just worry unnecessarily and probably blame himself in the process. He always did manage to hold himself at fault for things he didn't do.

"What happened," he prompted, his voice barely louder than whisper but commanding nonetheless.

Rose knew that tone of voice well. It was the tone her Doctor used when pressuring others to spill their souls while inexplicably invoking trust. But spending two years aboard the TARDIS had given her a small measure of immunity from this... _power_. "Does it matter?" she whispered.

Maybe not. But that didn't make him any less nervous. "_Please_ promise me you'll be careful out there Rose," he pleaded. He couldn't stress just how incredibly broken he would be if something ever happened to her. In fact, her life was worth more to him than he'd care to admit. He shuddered at what he was capable of doing and likely _would_ do should she ever get hurt or, god forbid, _die_ on some mission.

Despite his beseeching face she was suddenly struck with annoyance. "Don't know what you're so worried about. _How_ many times was my life in danger under his watch?" she contended haughtily. "I'm helping people, just like before. "'S just sometimes that involves certain _risks_." His brow fell as did his mouth. He moved to speak but she cut him off, her momentum propelling her forward. "And what did you both think I was doing all these years anyway? _Filing paperwork_? Or perhaps you'd prefer I quit my job and go work in a shop!"

"That's _not_ what I meant."

"No, you just have double standards when it comes to things like saving the world. I can't do it unless you're around, is that it?" she said indignantly.

He had forgotten about her propensity to challenge him. "Rose," he said the tone of his voice noticeably rising. He didn't like arguing with her in any capacity, _especially_ not when their relationship was still on such shaky ground but she needed to realize that this was no game. The number of people he had lost on his adventures were a testament to that.

Without warning a high pitched beep snapped the growing tension between them signaling the clothes were dry. To Rose, it was a welcome though unexpected relief as it broke them from the fight no doubt about to ensue. She tore herself from his stern gaze hopping from the couch and escaped down the hall to dress without another word.

* * *

They returned to Torchwood, neither of them bringing up the previous conversation along the way, which was preferable to Rose. Immediately she stole away to her office muttering about needing to attend to the dimension cannon, shrugging off his offer to help. This was something she needed to address alone.

Her feet were heavy as she stood at the door of the lab she had spent the majority of her time inside the past several months. It had been her purpose for so very long. As she beheld the computer consoles, wires, and jumper buttons spread upon the table she couldn't help but feel stubbornly attached to it.

In many ways the dimension cannon had been a symbol of defiance, of her drive to strive for the impossible. Never say never ever. That's what he had told her. That's what made her stick to the program even when it seemed like a lost cause. Though it was only a personal pet project of hers at first, once the darkness started blacking out stars in the sky she had been allotted full access to Torchwood's available resources: personnel, consults with the world's top minds, access to all of Torchwood's related technology, all of it came under her direction. With it she saved all of creation. It was her greatest achievement but it was more than just that; it was her _link_ to the Doctor.

And now she was to destroy it all.

After stealing a large crate and utility cart from the inventory room, she unceremoniously dumped everything in sight- computers, monitors, records, jumper buttons, etc. Everything found it's way into the large box. All useless now that the cracks were sealed.

When the last bit of it lay at the top of the pile she looked upon it with a sigh. She should deposit it all in a containment box and zap it with one of the many alien enhanced weapons at her disposal. She should set fire to it down in the controlled burn room testing center on level B2. She should do all manner of efficient and thoroughly destructive things to the heap of miscellaneous parts before her. Yes, yes she should.

But she wasn't going to.

Instead she found herself stapling the crate door on top of it, the cracking of the nail gun nailing with finality her decision. She found a large black marker and with a bout of inspiration labeled the side of it: _Clom Footwear, 1781-B. _All objects of extraterritorial origin were cataloged and kept regardless of value and nothing sounded as boring and as less likely to be opened by mistake than the fashion wear of an unsightly species like Absorbolofts. _Genius._

She would slip it into the inventory room that night after the Doctor had gone, making some excuse about needing to work late.

And she would worry about the fact that she had lied to him later.


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

Rose yawned as she stood at Jake's desk in the bustling atrium early the next morning. She had slept hardly at all as per the usual. The spat she had with the Doctor the day before had not left her in the best of mood, but it was her inability to be frank about the dimension project that had kept her up into the wee hours of the morning. She _still_ couldn't let him go while he was off showing the stars to new companions as if she were hardly a blip in his timeline. But she just wasn't ready to admit to him that she couldn't move on, not yet. Of course, her nightmares weren't helping matters either.

Suddenly a flash of the agonizing dream she had awoken to that morning fluttered just under her eyelids, a memory crashing into her at the trigger of seeing the Doctor approaching from across the room. She struggled to blink the sleep away to no avail. Instead his image brought on another wave of hurt as she recalled the details of her torment.

She had been on the beach again, only this time when she reached out to him he had none other than Reinette Poisson beside him, his new companion, the one he actually _wanted,_ not just someone to hold his hand and keep him company, but his mistress. Dressed in golden silk and dazzling pearls she sneered upon Rose's weeping form from afar as the Doctor took her hand. Rose struggled to call out to him, to beg him to stay, but instead he wrapped his hand around Reinette's waist and ushered her inside without so much as a glance her way. The nightmare ended with the slamming of the TARDIS door.

"Are you alright?" the Doctor's voice sounded beside her.

Startled, she jumped at his sudden close proximity. "Oh uh, fine," she lied as she snapped back to reality.

"Rough night?" he asked folding his arms as he leaned against the desk. She nodded curtly but gave no further details of the cause of her distress. Against his prying eyes her tired face remained reserved although, was that a twinge of... bitterness he detected in her eyes?

Jake unexpectedly sprang forward handing Rose a much needed cup of coffee. "Here you are, two sugars, just the way you like it."

"Hm, you read my mind! Just what I needed," she moaned taking a sip and sitting on the edge of the desk as Jake shimmied between them.

"So you didn't find anything? Not one thing?" Jake asked troubled looking over at the now glowering form of the Doctor.

"Nope," Rose replied for him, air escaping her mouth after taking a swig of the hot beverage.

"Huh. That's unusual. Well I have news," he said his voice lowering noticeably as he set his own coffee on the table.

"Yeah?" Rose asked him now intrigued, turning his way.

"Apparently someone hacked into the NOVAE computer files two days ago."

"What?!" Rose asked aghast as the Doctor raised his left brow. "How did they manage that?!"

"I don't know, no one knows. But Ross from team two thinks it has to be someone who works on the project."

"Why's that?" asked the Doctor.

"Probably because the badges are linked to bio data," Rose reminded him. "The best way to get around security-"

"-is to use someone who already has clearance," the Doctor finished for her. "Whoever did this didn't set off the alarms. _Although_ that implies that there wasn't anything else at work here."

"Like what?" Rose prompted.

"Oh I dunno. Could be anything. It's a crazy universe, and one not even _I _know everything about," he remarked.

"Do you guys think the hack is related to the missing agents?" she queried straining her neck to peer above to the second floor behind her, the entrance to the NOVAE room just visible through the glass and steel bannister lining the upper level.

"Could be," offered Jake following her gaze. "Maybe whoever took the agents is trying to get closer to the project, use the technology for themselves. The agents just got caught in the cross fire. Could be anyone. Old friends of Cybus industries, Russia, China, New Germany, even the United Sates."

"What do you think, Doctor?" Rose asked.

He hopped to his feet and twirled to look at the floor above them. "I don't know, but I do know one thing, whatever this project is, it's a cover. Whether it be a weapon or an energy source for something more sinister, I'm going to find out." From his newfound view point he eyed the figure of Gareth Evans chatting with Yvonne Hartman just outside the entrance to the NOVAE lab. She broke off their hushed conversation and disappeared from view behind the heavy door with a click. Evans stood eying the Doctor from below, his face pensive and guarded. Slowly he turned and walked, exiting down the corridor behind a corner.

"Well I'm off to research Doctor Cummings," said Jake. "If this is about NOVAE, then digging into his past could point us in the right direction." He gave the Doctor's arm a pat as he walked past him, coffee in hand.

Rose watched as Jake faded into the crowd of passing agents and aliens, her mind swirling. Bringing her steaming cup to her mouth she took a slow sip.

"Rose, what's really going on?" the Doctor asked as he scooted closer to her now that Jake had _finally _scampered off.

"Wha-?"

"Is it something I said?" His mind played the past two days in reverse, searching for whatever offensive remark may have been the culprit. "You know I don't really want you to work in a-"

"No, that's not it," she spoke, cutting him off, setting her cup to the side. The painful memories of her nightmares surfaced once more in her mind. Swallowing hard, she looked at him carefully before answering. "It's- it's nothing _you_ did." She supposed that was true. He was after all just a duplicate of the Doctor with borrowed memories. It wasn't fair to be mad at him for something he couldn't control.

He studied the contours of her face, her brows wrinkled in a mixture of both pain and worry. "Rose, you need to know that you can talk to me about anything, anything at all." He brought a hand across her tense back, closing around her shoulder comfortingly with a supportive squeeze.

Inside, her gut reaction was to both scoff and laugh as being open about her dreams concerning him was decidedly _not_ something she wanted to do. Nor was she ready to admit that she still couldn't let go of the past. His touch made it all the worse; it was a reminder of her Time Lord's rejection. "Yeah," she muttered halfheartedly before shrugging him off.

Puzzled, the Doctor watched her flee with a sigh.

* * *

The man in a long camel overcoat and blue suit made no effort to be discreet as he waltzed up to the lab door on the second floor unannounced. He could have easily swiped his badge to enter the room as he had clearance to do so, but that just wasn't his style. Instead, out came his sonic and the door was swinging open. Inside there were but a few workers talking amongst themselves at the far end of the spacious lab, their voices subdued, no doubt still disturbed by the unsettling disappearance of one of their own. Yvonne Hartman and Gareth Evens were nowhere in sight, but as his eyes scanned the room he found a familiar face to his left, typing away on a computer.

"Hello there!" he said happily, extending his hand to the lovely black woman he had seen from afar during his initial tour at Torchwood. "I'm the Doctor!"

The woman in the white lab coat looked up, a bit taken aback, but took his hand all the same. "I'm Adeola, Adeola Oshodi."

He clasped both his hands around hers and shook them with far more exuberance than was necessary, the warm memories of his past companion surfacing at the sight of her face. "Pleasure to meet you, _really_." It wasn't every day he got to meet the parallel cousin of Martha Jones.

"You act as if you know me. Forgive me, but have we met before?" she asked looking somewhat amused by his overly enthusiastic greeting after he finally let her hand go.

"Oh, well, no I don't think so. Although you remind me a lot of someone I know. Do you happen to have any family? You could pass as my friend's doppelganger!"

"Oh well that explains it then," she muttered to herself with a nod of the head.

"Explain what?"

"The starring," she spoke with a bemused expression.

"The what?" he asked perplexed.

She laughed. "Every time you see me you stare at me like you've seen an old girlfriend."

"Oh, sorry," he said rubbing the back of his neck, somewhat embarrassed, his ears flushing pink.

"No."

"Hm?"

"I don't have any family that happen to look anything like me. I'm an only child."

He breathed a sigh of relief. Goodness the conversation was getting awkward, but his curiosity refused be stamped out. "No _cousins_ or anything?"

"No," she said with a smile. "Was she... _important_ to you, this friend you had?"

He smiled. "Oh yes, yes very good friend of mine. Martha she's called, Martha Jones." He couldn't help but widen his smile. "So tell me, _Adeola Oshodi_, what's NOVAE up to these days?"

Her smile didn't falter though her brow furrowed. "Well I could hardly tell you, could I? Without losing my job anyway."

"Oh, but I'm the resident senior scientific adviser," he pouted, suddenly wishing he had his physic paper, for once to show somebody the truth. "Didn't anyone tell you? I've got clearance. Perhaps I could be of service."

"Well then you're speaking to the wrong person. You ought to talk to Assistant Director Hartman."

"Oh, well yes I could, _sure_, but where's the fun in that?" He swaggered around to the front of her desk as he sat, putting on his most charming appeal, a tactic he often used when fishing for information. "She's just the face behind the project. I want to speak with the brains, the muscle, and the heart of the project, and that's you lot, am I right?"

Her resulting smile was brilliant. "_Well_..." She looked over her shoulders before lowering her head, her smile vanishing. "It's not been going so well, to be honest. What with the data breech and Dr. Cummings going missing, we've been rattled to the core."

He nodded sympathetically. "Can you think of any reason why someone would take him?"

She sighed. "Well, no except that if you wanted to talk to the brains behind the operation, he was it. I'm just a lab assistant. I help analyze the energy readings. Now..." she shrugged. "Who knows what's going to happen. We're all a little bit spooked."

"Was he behaving suspiciously at all before he left?" he inquired, folding his arms as he sat upon the edge of her desk.

"No more than usual," she responded.

His face asked the question he didn't vocalize.

"Well, I always found it odd that he was only here Mondays and Tuesdays," she explained. "The rest of the week he was off somewhere else and who has to man the tests while he's gone? _Me._ That's who. Thing is, he's on the full payroll. Full salary for _half_ a week's work. Not fair if you ask me. But I think it's more than that." She leaned in as he responded in kind. "I think he was off working on something else, _somewhere_ else. Something for Torchwood, off base."

His interest piqued. _Now we're getting somewhere._ "Something related you reckon?" he questioned in a hushed but energetic voice.

"Doctor? What are you doing here?" Hartman's voice rang out from his right, startling him to his feet. He whirled to find her eying him curiously.

"Me? Oh nothing. Just talking with young Adeola here." He smiled widely, patting Adeola's shoulder. He wanted to keep Hartman at ease. The last thing he wanted to do was spook her from making her next move if in fact she was the one responsible for the strange goings on. "How's it coming then?" he asked with a nod towards the machine.

"Fine," she said coolly with an air of reservation.

His faux smile faltered. "I'm sorry, about your employees."

Her face softened ever so slightly. "Is there something I can do for you?"

"Me? Nope. Not at all. Just dropped by to offer my condolences. Really, _truly _very very sorry. We're doing all we can do to find out how the signals are related. Please let us know of anything you can think of that might help with our investigation."

She stiffened. "I will. Thank you Doctor."

Rocking on the balls of his feet he looked at her expectantly but she didn't offer any further information. _Great._ Seems she would be of no help at all. "Right," he said clearing his throat. "Well then, better be off. _Plenty_ to do." With that he retreated from her unsettling stare, itching to return to take a peek at the device for himself during lunch hour.

He didn't have long to wait. Fifteen minutes later the remaining employees who had dwindled behind filed one by one out of the room, Hartman being the last. Once they were out of view, the Doctor quietly peeked down the halls before entering the now emptied and darkened lab. It was silent except for the gentle crackle of energy emanating from the large machine in the center of the cavernous room. He perused along the line of computers before stopping in front of one at random, flipping on the monitor with a click. Plopping down at the table, he put his glasses on and let his fingers fly across the keys. The contraption to his left abruptly hummed to life.

"Hello there," he mumbled to himself, licking his lips in concentration. Suddenly the blueprints of the device popped up on the large screen hanging above the row of computers. He stood, stepping closer to the screen, shoving his hands in his pockets as he scrutinized the schematics above him.

"What are you really?" he pondered aloud. In a flash he pounced next to the device, screwdriver at the ready. It cooed softly, it's familiar glow lighting the wires and components hooked into the central metallic ring.

"Hm. They haven't even _tried_ to retrofit the energy to be compatible with the grid. Hardly in line with the notion of lighting up all of England," he muttered to himself.

Now curious, he bent forward to have a closer look at the inner workings of the machine but it was something on the outside that caught his eye. Or rather, something that _wasn't_ on the outside. Along the perimeter of the device were three equally-spaced ports, openings for something meant to fit in place.

Without warning the door beeped and swung open. Gareth Evans stopped abruptly upon seeing the Doctor kneeling upon the floor, his arm wrapped along the side of the massive generator, sonic between his teeth. The young man quickly shook off his surprise before speaking."Having a look about?" he asked far too nonchalantly as he slowly advanced.

The Doctor scrambled to stand up straight, grabbing the his screwdriver from his teeth to speak. "Um, yes I was just taking a peek. Never could resist a science project, me!" he said with a wide grin pocketing his sonic. "Senior Science Adviser and all that. What with all the odd happenings I came to discover what all the fuss was about."

"I see," he said, calmly as he strode forward inching closer.

"Right," the Doctor responded, scratching just beneath his ear feeling a bit unnerved. "Well I'll uh, just be on my way then," he said sheepishly, pointing with his thumb over his shoulder.

Gareth's brows drew forward. "Right, then. Have a nice day," he responded icily.

Feeling a bit like a child caught with his hand in the cookie jar, the Doctor hurried out of the room, glancing at Gareth sideways before passing through the door and down the steps. Well that was a rather odd encounter. He half expected to be scolded for meddling but instead Gareth seemed eerily clam, _unnaturally_ so after the disappearance of one of their scientific team members. And what was he up to all by himself after the rest of the staff were out?

He watched the door warily from the floor below until Gareth exited, swiftly disappearing down the hallway, his head low. The Doctor jumped up to follow him but by the time he had made it back up the stairs and down the hall he found himself facing a maze of corridors, the man nowhere in sight.

Frustrated, and itching to divulge what he had discovered, he sought out Rose but she too wasn't to be found, not in her office, nor her now emptied lab. Suddenly seeing the merits in primitive human mobile technology he was determine to buy a phone at the next available opportunity. Begrudgingly, he had even gone to find Jake, but according to the others seated near his station in the atrium he too had gone to lunch. _Blimey._ He suddenly wondered if they hadn't gone..._ together_. He hoped she wasn't still upset with him. In deep speculation, he soon found himself back at the inventory room for no other reason except that he had nowhere else to go.

It didn't take long for him to be accosted by Dr. Sighn and Dr. Hall. He mumbled under his breath at the incredible dependance on him they had acquired since his short stay. He wasn't eager to work on the distressing backlog of items now accumulating since his attention had been diverted to the investigation though his co-wokers were keen to try to make him. He batted them off, complimenting them on their brilliance and assuring them that they'd be just fine while he had other matters to attend to. With a quick bow he barricaded himself in his office, shutting the door with a sigh. He slumped into his chair and idly began fiddling with his favorite acquisition- the Terileptil sculpture he had cataloged his first day on the job. While he had accumulated several gadgets none of them were particularly aesthetic except this. Anything to help the dismal mood of the place was welcome. Distraction, that's what he needed.

As if on cue he heard a knock at his door. Looking up, his mood lept as he saw her standing there, bag in one hand, two beverages balanced in the other. He moved to aid her.

"Here you are," Rose said unceremoniously shoving a foam cup with a lid and straw into his hand.

"What's this?" he asked with a grin.

"A peace offering. Or, if you'd like technical term it's a milkshake, a _banana_ milkshake. And this," she said hoisting the bag in the air, "is lunch."

Excitedly he snatched the bag from her hand to take a peek. Inside were nothing but chips, delicious _warm_ chips. His beamed at her. It was the small moments like these that he secretly treasured. Never before had met someone who 'got' him on such a level. It was an effortless unspoken understanding that permeated their relationship on so many levels. "Oh Rose Tyler you are amazing, you are!" he said taking a sip of his milkshake.

"Blimey look at that!" Her eyes were mesmerized by the dancing colors of the sculpture on the desk before her. "It really is beautiful."

"Brightens the place up, don't you think?" he asked with a slurp of his shake. "Hmm, now _that_ is divine!" he said enthusiastically as he rolled his office chair out next to the one she stood by. Taking a seat and propping his feet on his desk, he opened the bag of chips and plopped one in his mouth. "_Oh yes_! Brilliant combination. You are to be congratulated on your creativity," he said with a mouthful.

She giggled at his excitement reaching over to steal a chip. "Someone's in a good mood."

"Christmas has come early! I've got a Terileptil masterpiece, a banana milkshake, chips, and a gorgeous blond in my office. Frankly I don't think the day could get better," he remarked in between bites.

She nearly choked on her milkshake at his statement, her stomach involuntarily lurching. He had just called her gorgeous. She wasn't sure how to react to that. _Perhaps it was meant as a platonic compliment_, she rationalized. _Or maybe he was being forward._ Instead of addressing him, she cleared her throat and peered over at the fascinating movements of the sculpture before her. It was a worthy distraction indeed. Her eyes were drawn down to the center of the piece, a spiraled hole opening and closing in perfect sync by the winding of the tendrils. A glint caught her eye. "What's that there, in the middle?"

"Hm?" He shook the salt from his fingers before hopping up, his body brushing up against hers, his hand lightly touching her back as he peered over her shoulder. If she didn't know better she would have thought he was taking the liberty of getting as close as he possibly could.

"Looks like something's down there. Hold on a tick!" He grabbed his sonic and in an instant the sculpture had stopped moving. It stood frozen in place, the hole just wide enough for him to slip his hand to the bottom as Rose stepped to the side to afford herself some space and give him room. "No way!" he said in amazement holding up a tiny clear jewel. "You have got to be joshing me!"

"What, what is it?" she asked. "Is that a diamond?"

He shook his head, an open smile upon his face. "Nope. Better, _much_ better. It's a transport crystal!" He darted behind her and knelt as he yanked his drawer open, tossing spare parts about until he found it: the leather wrist band.

"That's what you nicked off the table during your tour here. It looks like a-"

"Vortex manipulator. Yep! It was broken. It can bend space but not travel through time because the crystal was missing but this, _this_ completes the puzzle." He put his glasses on for a better look. "Mind you it's not in the best shape. Looks like this crystal has a crack. Might be why it was discarded. Still, it could do a bit of traveling. There's some life let in it yet," he said putting the wrist band back in his drawer and slipping the tiny crystal into his blue jacket pocket with a pat. "But no matter. Won't be doing any time travel for the time being," he said with a grin.

She looked at him perplexed. It wasn't like him to pass up traveling the stars. "You mean you have a way to leave, and you're not gonna?" He had not been given a choice in the matter that day on the beach but now it would appear that he had one. Surely he would take it.

"Why would I want to leave?" he asked sincerely.

"Well it's just that, you were exiled here. I would have thought you would jump at the chance to get away."

His countenance contracted in concern. Did she really think he would be so anxious to leave her? "Rose, I'm not going anywhere. Not without you."

She blinked in wonderment. If only her other Time Lord had been so considerate.

His gaze was drawn down at her hands, her fingers wrapped around a chip half way dunked into her milkshake."What on Pete's World are you doing?!" he jested.

"Oi! Don't knock it til you try it," she said with a grin, scooping up a blob of shake with the chip and placing it in her mouth. She groaned. "_So good_."

He stood momentarily transfixed by the sight of her. "Alright then, I will!" Dexterously twirling around to the other side of the desk, he stopped just in front her, his sudden intense gaze commanding her full attention. For a moment she couldn't speak. He brazenly dipped a chip into _her_ milkshake and brought it to his mouth. "Hm, you are right, that is good," he spoke deeply with a nod but her witty reply was lost in the shine of his dark, dark eyes. Her breath came out as an audible pant smelling deliciously of vanilla, banana, and salt as he took a step closer still, his eyes flitting to her mouth.

A knock at the door made them both jump. Jake stood in the door frame, looking between them as Rose took a tentative step back. The Doctor's jaw jutted forward ever so slightly in annoyance at his seemingly perfect timing.

"Hiya!" Jake said, still frozen ascertaining whether or not he was interrupting. "I've uh, got the list of employee names and times that corresponded with the same time period the NOVAE project files were lifted." Stepping forward he extended the manilla folder in the air. The Doctor didn't grab it, instead his eyes narrowed.

Feeling the tension in the air Rose glided forward and snatched it from his grasp. "This is perfect, thanks, Jake!" she said setting her milkshake down and falling into the chair behind her.

"Did you guys find anything else out?" Jake inquired.

"Well I didn't come up with anything on Rawlins. Just a boring ordinary life. What about you? Any luck with Cummings?" she questioned Jake without looking up.

"Nah. He's a closed case. It seems the records were conveniently 'misplaced' which is just another word for '_we don't want anyone knowing what he was up to'_."

"What about you Doctor?" Rose asked, slurping her shake.

"Well apparently Dr. Cummings was the brains behind NOVAE. I think whoever took him knew who they were after. It seems the good doctor only came in half the week. And on the device there are junctions for missing components, ports for something. The machine is incomplete. If he was working only half of the week and we're seeing only _half _of the device..."

"Then he was working on the other half somewhere else," Rose finished for him.

"And it seems Torchwood has been keeping it quiet," Jake spoke bitterly. "Whatever it is, they don't want anyone knowing about it. Not even us, and we're _supposed_ to be investigating his disappearance."

"There's more," the Doctor spoke. Rose and Jake both swiveled their gazes up to him. "I also found it curious that the energy is not meant to power the grid as they say- at least not in it's current state. It's only fit to store for now, not transfer. Unless they are planning to convert it later it's a power source for something else."

"What though?" Jake questioned helping himself to Rose's chips.

"Add it to the list of things I'm not sure about," he muttered, scrutinizing Jake from afar.


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13**

The work day had ended as Rose sat in her office drumming the top her desk. After the incident in the Doctor's office she found herself completely unable to concentrate on her work. Her pitiful attempts to cross reference the bio scan data with the hallway surveillance just outside the NOVAE lab fell flat. Try as she may, the rampant butterflies in her stomach kept distracting her. He had almost kissed her. Or maybe she was just imagining it. _No. Yes. Wait, maybe? _She anxiously twirled her finger in her looped earring as she exhaled. What was going on between them? For weeks it was nothing and then_ bam_, here he was back in her life again. Not only that but he was now occupying her every thought. That surprised her because prior to the reality bomb someone else had that honor.

Her heart clenched. The past few weeks had not been easy. While she truly believed her Time Lord had done what he felt was best for her leaving her there, her emotions were so very raw. She loved him still, even if it didn't handle things the best way but something had been bothering her. It was something that had sat at the pit of her stomach since that morning and wouldn't budge.

It was jealousy.

That infernal nightmare had brought forth unresolved anxieties she had wish to forget. Now they were preventing her from doing anything productive. After New Earth she was sure the Doctor and she had advanced to something more, but then she met Sarah Jane, a woman who had been just as in love with him as she had been. The Doctor had never even mentioned her. Not once. And there was more. That was the night the Doctor told her that she wasn't special.

_How many of us have there been, traveling with you?_

_Does it matter?_

_Yeah it does, if I'm just the latest in a long line._

_As opposed to what?_

_I thought you and me were... well obviously I got it wrong._

That was the night she admitted she had misunderstood their relationship and he didn't correct her which in her mind was just as good as saying _yep, you're nothing to me_. She grimaced, biting her lip. Why did she ever trick herself into thinking things would ever change between them? Now she really was one in a long line he would never mention, just like his old companion.

And then there was Reinette. Still hurt from Sarah Jane, Reinette captured his heart right from under her. She was everything Rose wasn't- book smart, poised, rich, refined, _gorgeous_. In his own words "one of the most accomplished women who ever lived." He had left her strapped to a table at the mercy of the clockwork beings while he was off partying and _who knows_ what else with this other woman who obviously had no qualms about interfering in established relationships. Reinette was, after all, mistress to the king of France. He was willing to sacrifice everything for this other woman, even going so far as to break a time window to save her thereby leaving her and Mickey stranded in space. _That_ hurt more than anything. He had willingly left her with the thinking he would never see her again- left her to die only one day after he promised he wouldn't just leave her behind. After his dumb luck getting back to them he had even invited this woman to come aboard as a new companion. He had never been open with her about what happened that day, not even bothering to mention why she didn't come along though Rose assumed by his somber mood afterward that it wasn't good, and as much as it hurt she realized then it wasn't her place to ask.

But then on the beach after Canary Warf, wasn't he going to tell her he loved her?

_Yes._ That was what kept her fighting to the last to get back to him. But it wasn't enough. Whatever he had felt, it wasn't strong enough for him to keep her. And there it was. She believed that he had loved her, perhaps the way a good friend wins someone's heart unexpectedly. Perhaps it was a happy go-lucky kind of care-free love that typified their relationship, not the deep meaningful passion that she had for him which she kept hidden for so long out of fear of rejection. And he had only started saying it because, what the hell? He was never going to see her again.

And then there was this new man, supposedly a man who had the same memories and mannerisms of the other. So what did that make him? He had been about to kiss her today after she told him she wanted nothing but friendship. What kind of man was he? Was he someone who carelessly played with the hearts of women? Would he leave her behind too when he found something better?

If past patterns were any indication then the overwhelming answer was _yes_.

She bit her lip uncomfortably. He was toying with her emotions and she had enough heartache to last a lifetime already. She would need to clarify where her boundaries were, or at least uncover what kind of man she was dealing with because she couldn't deal with heartache a third time. It would break her.

She eyed the clock. It was nearly six. Jumping to her feet she grabbed her coat. Perhaps it was time to drop in.

* * *

A light in the filtering between the drawn blinds of his window told her he was home as she drove up. Tentatively she knocked on his door, struggling to keep her legs from running back to the car. She had argued with herself over following through with her plan the entire car ride over. But she didn't have time to run now; the door knob was twisting.

It was readily apparent by the look of surprise on his face that he wasn't expecting her as he swung open the door, sans jacket, his well fitted red t-shirt casually pulled out over his blue trousers, striped blue and red socks peeking out from underneath the hem of his pants, his glasses askew upon the bridge of his nose. God he was gorgeous.

"Rose," he whispered more to himself than anyone, somewhat shocked to see her.

"You said, you said I could... drop by some time," she said as she pulled her jacket collar tight around her neck. It came out as more of a question.

"Yes!" he said his eyebrows raising. "Yes, yes come in." He grinned as he stepped to the side and ushered her in. This was a pleasant surprise. No, _brilliant_. He had hoped she would take him up on his offer for company.

She stopped just inside, her black shoes squeaking on his hardwood floor. "You're watching telly," she said with a nod. Somehow the impossibility of the situation broke through her confrontational mood allowing a smile to creep upon her face. "It's just so weird to think you as having an ordinary life."

"Well you'd better believe it, _earth girl_," he teased as he shut the creaking door. He plopped down on the couch and started moving a project from the cushion next to him onto the coffee table.

"Earth girl?" she repeated eying him questioningly. "Don't think I've heard that one yet."

His shoulders shrunk ever so slightly in apology. "Yeah, well you're likely to hear a few more colorful outbursts from me. Lingering effects of Donna's more interesting personality quirks."

"_Huh._ Well anyway you can talk, _earth boy_. Look at you, a right domesticated bloke, you are! If you're not careful before you know it you'll find yourself settled down for good in a _mortgaged_ house..."

"_Flat!_" he declared staunchly with a smile, enjoying her teasing reference all the same.

"... with carpets..."

"Never!" he proclaimed proudly, waving his hand at his hardwood floors.

"... and a proper wife-"

He blinked at her in surprise as his teasing smirk slipped. Embarrassingly he had no funny retort before she spoke again.

"... and a spry wee little dog named Rose..."

He choked on a laugh. "Whatever happened to that daft dog anyway?"

Rose giggled down at him. "Mum got rid of her ages ago. She couldn't stand the thing, that and she couldn't stand calling the dog the same thing she called her daughter."

"_Still_ funny!" he quipped, happily falling back into that long-missed familiar pattern of back and forth joviality.

"Oh shut up you!" she shot at him with a grin, his own smile growing even wider. "So what's that then?" she asked, curious about the parts spread about about him.

"Oh, just a project for the TARDIS. It's a _secret,_" he said with a sly smile as he adjusted his glasses upon the bridge of his nose.

"What ya got your specs on for? I thought they were just to look clever?!" she prodded, sticking her tongue between her teeth. There was no one around after all and he had no idea she planned on popping in. It was unexpected even to her.

"I actually_ need _them now!" he lamented as he finished moving all the pieces to the table. "Oh it's so _human_, Rose. All of it! I'm practically one of _you_ lot now."

"_Oi_, we're not so bad. And actually it's a good look for you," she affirmed with a quick nod of her head.

His insides flipped at her compliment, deciding to leave them on as he enthusiastically patted the cushion next to him. To his dismay, she settled onto the opposite end of the couch as the program came back on air. He sniffed. Good friends didn't leave awkward space on the couch. What was this?

"Star Trek," she proclaimed giggling, unaware of his troubled countenance.

In a flash of brilliance, he had concocted a plan. "Hang on just a tick," he said suddenly jumping up in an impressive vanishing act, a loud bang sounding from the kitchen. He materialized next to her a few moments later with a large bowl of popcorn. "There we are!"

"How did you manage that so quickly?" she asked astounded.

"Sonic screwdriver. Works on doors, also makes perfect popcorn," he grinned widely as he took the liberty of scooting next to her and offered her some, stuffing a large handful in his did so with no further prompting. _Much better. _"And do you know what the best bit is about this show?" he questioned nodding toward the screen. "It's different! Every episode has different dialogue and some of them I haven't seen at all! Everything Rose, _everything _in this universe is new and exciting! It's a whole new experience!"

"Look at you," she smirked. "Like a kid in a gingerbread house."

He chortled with a mouth full of popcorn. "Exactly."

Try as she may, she just couldn't stay mad at this man. It made her question her motives. Just being around him was soothing to her. It felt like coming home after six long years. Could she mess this up? She mulled over her thoughts, looking toward but not seeing the TV in front of her. No, she finally decided. Perhaps some things were best unspoken and forgotten.

The program soon ended as they reached the bottom of the bowl. Sitting up he reached to turn off the TV and set the bowl on the table. He turned to her slightly. "Now tell me, what's this really about?"

"Nothing," she lied, her shifty eyes giving her away.

"Rose, I may have not seen you in a while but I know you well enough to know when something has been bothering you all day. Please tell me what's wrong."

She shifted, struggling to find a safe place to rest her eyes from his burning gaze, settling for the oak floor. "It's, it's fine. I'm... _fine_."

She was... _fidgeting_ and he definitely caught an unmistakable edge in her voice. It was a tone he was familiar with, the one she reserved for him when he had done something to make her upset. His mind flipped back to the other night while they were at the diner as he struggled to put the pieces together. "Rose, if you're worried about my companions-"

She dropped her hand from her hair as she cut him off. "It's okay. I can't blame him for moving on so quickly. I only wish it were as easy for me to do the same," she spoke, the words falling from her mouth in a rush.

"Don't say that," he managed to reply in a hoarse whisper sitting up more. He never had moved on from her. Survived yes, moved on, hardly.

"Just tell me something, please. Why did he leave me?" she breathed, looking off to the side.

He failed to capture her now elusive gaze but he spoke assuredly. "Because he loved you too much to keep you." While he spoke of his other self it was no less an acclamation of his own feelings for her, feelings that he wasn't going to play down any longer.

She both snorted and laughed. "Right, so if you two are the same man then tell me, would you have left me too if you were in his shoes?" Her sharp eyes finally latched onto his, seeking to pull the truth from them.

Her question was left hanging in the air as he stared at her. He opened his mouth as if to speak but shut it instead, sealing for her the truth of the matter. She nodded pursing her lips, unable to stop her burning questions though she knew the answers were only likely to hurt. "If I had been- if I had been a female Time Lord, or _whatever_ you call them, or if what happened to Jack happened to me instead, would he have stayed with me then, if he didn't have to see me wither and die?"

His countenance darkened, now troubled. "We don't wish immortality on anyone. It's a hard and damaging life. A _curse_. Better to live free and love unburdened than linger on while the world fades to dust. After a while everything you see- it corrupts you." He could scarcely imagine his Rose as such a creature like himself.

In fact, he had always been terribly jealous of humans. They represented everything that he wasn't: innocent, young, and eager to learn_._ Time Lords lived a boring detached life of observation and servitude, far from the life he longed for. How ironic it was that he, who so loved to see and experience, was born into an archaic race sworn never to interfere only to watch as others _lived_. So he ran from his responsibilities and went searching for adventure. It was humans who inspired him the most, humans like her.

He struggled to make her understand. "You are so much more than a Time Lord could ever be. After a while you can't see the wonders of the universe anymore but humans can. They can see the world anew. That's what you are to him. The one adventure he never could have but always wanted." A chance at a human life- free from burden. Able to freely love and be loved in return.

She bit her lip. He was deflecting. He hadn't really answered the question. Maybe living for eternity was a curse in his eyes, but living forever with him would be the epitome of happiness for her. Instead she was left behind here, to live out her mundane life. A broken promise.

"What about you? What do you think about this everyday human life? Rent, carpets, _laundry_? Is it everything you hoped for and dreamed?" she asked him, her sideways eyes catching his searchingly.

"I...," he sighed, "I know I joked about those things before, but..."

"But what?" she asked her brows raised.

Life on the slow path had been hell. He would be lying if he told her any different. "No," he finally admitted truthfully. "I suppose it's not. Not _everything_ I had dreamed."

The depth of his gaze clearly defined what he was insinuating. She cleared her throat to break the silence but it did nothing to disrupt his stare. She forged on. "What happened earlier today, in your office... Look, I just, I just need you to know that I can't take anymore disappointment. Please, don't play with my heart. And stick around for a bit this time round, will ya? I could use a good mate. Don't go disappearing on me," she managed with the hint of a smile and half laugh.

He inwardly kicked himself for trying to push her before she was ready as he inhaled deeply. "Rose, if you need a friend right now, then that's what I'll be. And I swear to you, I swear on my_ life_ I will not leave you. Not ever."

She brought her eyes to meet his. "Thanks," she said quietly. That's all she needed to know. Suddenly she stood with a soft slap to her legs "_Now_, up you go!" she ordered, holding out her hand and yanking him to his feet much to his amusement. Before he could ask her what she was doing she had turned and was swiftly walking toward the door.

"Thanks to all that talk about ginger bread houses I've gone and worked up a sweet tooth. So we're off to the local fudge shop on 5th street," she explained matter-of-factly. "Tony says they've got _great_ banana flavored lollies and you know me, can't resist a good lolly. Course neither can you, heaven knows."

For a moment he just stood there delightedly before she turned throwing him an expecting look. With a start he realized she was waiting on _him_ and he looked wildly about for his trainers. After sliding his converse onto his feet he snatched his coats from the coat rack by the door in a rush.

She continued on without further hesitation. "...and did you know they've got several odd flavored jelly babies here? Though they don't call them that. They call them jelly beads instead. _Beads! _Can you believe?"

"You don't say?" he chuckled. "_Rubbish_ name." Not really, but he'd humor her because he was just thrilled by her very presence.

"I _know! _See? Knew I wasn't the only one. Dad says I'm mad for thinking so but sanity prevails!" she said triumphantly with a raise of her fist as she opened the door and let in the cool air.

He grinned madly as she went on about how jelly babies were round in Pete's world, not bean-shaped which made them _honest-to-god _edible ball bearings as opposed to _just_ sprinkles which weren't technically round. Though her words were outwardly trivial they were in fact very significant, because it meant that things were _finally_ back to the way they used to be. With a swipe of his hand he turned out the light and shut the door stepping out into softly falling flurries. Never before had the mundane seemed so exciting.


	14. Chapter 14

BONUS CHAPTER. Uploading a third chapter this week. Working on an illustration to come later. Hope you guys are enjoying the story so far! Please tell me what you think of how things are progressing (plot/love story, etc). I'd love to hear from you. Reviews are love! 3

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**Chapter 14**

Time moved on as it had the tendency to do only instead of trudging along it now glided by- like a balloon on a string just out of his reach. Helplessly watching time slip past him was a foreign experience. It made him hyper-aware of his internal clock slowly winding down, each moment used up and lost forever. From that realization came an overwhelming itch to move, to see, to experience, to _love. _

She was now coming over several times in the week for anything and nothing. Late night runs to the local chippie, intense scrabble sessions, her merciless teasing of his new sock collection as they watched _new to them_ reruns, ringing her at odd hours of the night to bug her about some new trivia fact he'd just discovered or some new flavor of jelly baby she simply _must_ try- it had all become the norm and he reveled in every fleeting minute. It was a comfortable friendship full of the usual joking and laughing like their life on the TARDIS so long ago. _Almost_.

She wouldn't hold his hand anymore. Not yet. And the frequent hugs he would steal from her over every little thing back in the day was a thing of the past as well. It was as if there were additional barriers between them, a line more clearly drawn than they'd ever had before. But he still had hope. That glint in her eyes... _Oh yes._ He quite liked hope.

They had no new leads as they congregated in Rose's office brainstorming late into the day. Perhaps he was just lucky before as a Time Lord, or perhaps being on the slow path inexplicably affected his pacing, or maybe he was just incredibly distracted by a certain lovely young lady, but for whatever reason the investigation was crawling when such things used to be sorted in an afternoon. He was starting to think of more drastic measures. Unfortunately his preferred method of detection had been denied by the Director

"I can't say I disagree with his decision," Rose said, hunching forward over her desk, her sleek side-swept hair draping across her hands on either side of her face.

Apparently even _she_ didn't think trying to investigate what was going on in a half-broken Chula ship was a good idea. He couldn't imagine why not. It was after all just sitting there in the hangar bay collecting dust, hardly a befitting fate for such a piece of shining ingenuity. Both she and Pete had fought him on the issue.

"Oh but why?!" he whined.

"'Cos you're just trying to get your hands on a ship to go joyriding. Don't think I can't see what you're trying to do," she said pointing an authoritative finger his way.

"Spoilsport! If it's any consolation I was gonna invite you to come along, you know," he pouted. "Now I've got no choice but to do it the hard way."

"And what's the hard way?"

"Build a _great big_ sensor."

"Whatcha need a 'great big' one for?"

"_Welllll... _if I'm gonna put the time into it I might as well do it right. Why should I build some dinky little thing that only see's into earth's upper atmosphere when I can build one to see to the edge of the universe?" he contended cheerfully, propping his feet upon her desk and clasping his hands behind his neck.

"Can't you just augment your sonic?" she asked, a bit peeved at the presence of his white trainers now sullying a stack of papers beside her.

"If it were that easy I'd done it by now," he fussed indignantly. "Only a fool would overlook something so obvious were it possible. Is that what do you take me for, Rose Tyler? _A fool_?" He placed his hand dramatically over his breast, his brows drawn up in mock offense.

She shooed his feet away with her hands, trying to shake the dirt of the top of the pile to no avail. "Can't we just use the vortex-manipulator?"

"The what?" Jake asked from the chair next to him.

"The vortex-manipulator. It's a device that travels through time," the Doctor explained, returning his feet to the floor. He turned his attention back to Rose. "Very testy way to travel, time jumping without a capsule, especially this one what with the crystal being cracked and all. Besides, I can't very well go popping off into space when I don't know where I am going, can I?"

"Fair point," she muttered. "But how long is it gonna take to build?"

"_Well_," he said squinting up at the ceiling in calculation. "If I use some of the spare parts left over from the TARDIS I could have it done in... oh I'd say less than a week."

"Well wherever you do it, keep it out of sight," said Jake. "I've been asking around, Ross from team two said he saw Gareth Evans poking about your office the other day, Doctor. Said he was hauling a new catch they found on one of their missions to the inventory room and the door was cracked. Saw 'em in there up to no good."

"Really? What'd he go and do a thing like that for?" the Doctor questioned darkly.

"Maybe she's suspicious of you," Rose suggested.

"Wait, _who_?" Jake asked now confused.

"Hartman. Gareth Evans is Hartman's crony. I doubt he's working on his own," she explained. Though he hadn't worked with him personally, she'd known Gareth for some time now. He'd been at the agency longer than she, even before the people's republic had taken over, losing his fiance in the Cyberman incident six years prior. Ever since she had known him he had been Yvonne's assistant. He'd always struck her as the brown-nosing type.

"Could be. _Maybe_ he's acting on behalf of Hartman or _maybe_ someone else, if he's being controlled that is," the Doctor spoke aloud to himself.

"What like mind control?" Rose asked.

He inhaled. "Possibly. There are several ways he could be compromised. Several methods of control exist out there, and there could be some even _I've_ never seen."

"Oh don't be daft, Doctor. We get psychic training here. I highly doubt our agents could fall to something like that," Jake grunted, sitting up straighter.

The Doctor scoffed in response, his brows raised. "Oh _well_... it's a good thing we have _you_ as a resident expert on alien technology to rule such a thing out then." _Cheeky git. _Rose gave him a stern look, no doubt telling him to behave in her mind. For her sake he stifled the wisecrack he so desperately wanted to throw at him. He attributed the urge to Donna's tendency to speak her mind.

"Well my money's on Gareth," said Jake. "He's got the clearance and he's sneaking about."

"But we can't know that for sure," said Rose.

"Wellll _actually_..." The doctor pursed his lips.

"What are you saying?" queried Jake.

"Well, I _am_ telepathic," he said with a lofty smirk tapping his hand to his temple. "I can scan the mind of anyone I want and tell instantly if they are acting under their own will or not or even whether they are lying."

"How do you do that? Like from across the room or..." Jake wondered aloud.

"Physical touch amplifies the link," he stated simply. "Of course, not many employees will likely volunteer themselves to have their brains scanned, particularly not those responsible for all of this."

"Well remind me not to get into any trouble around you. Don't want you pokin' about in my head," he laughed.

Try as he may, he couldn't find this funny. Probably because he didn't want to know what was lurking in Jake's head. Not when he likely fancied Rose.

"All the same, I think we should ask Gareth some questions. Can't hurt," said Rose.

Jake stood, stretching his arms to the ceiling. "Well, I'm off. Care to join me for dinner, Rose?"

Nevermind. He didn't _likely_ fancy her. He _clearly_ fancied her.

"Nah, thanks anyway. I've got to stick around and talk to him before he leaves for the evening," she replied, turning her attention once more to her screen. The Doctor found himself wondering if she was even aware of what Jake had just asked her.

"Suit yourself," Jake shrugged in reply casting an indeterminate look toward the Doctor before turning to leave.

The confirmation of his suspicions threatened to dampen his spirits, but he refused to be provoked, not when he had been sitting on the greatest of news for the better part of the day. "So, we're ready for the big reveal," he said excitedly sitting on her desk. "When are you coming to see?"

"Hm?"

"Why the TARDIS of course, it's ready! You'll have to bring over my favorite little spaceman to come see it!"

"Oh that's fantastic! I can't wait," she said wheeling out from under the desk. "How did you ever get it done? I've been practically _living_ at your flat."

_If only. _"Oh weeell, you know, just working on it here and there. Mind you I would have had it done two weeks ago, but _someone_ has been a bit distracting," he said with a low voice scooting closer.

"I should just stop bugging you then," she countered, her brows raised challengingly. "Can't have your genius hampered by the magnificence of my presence, now can we?"

"Oh now don't be hasty! There's no need for that. Didn't I say it was finished?_ Finito_! _Molto Bene!_"he said enthusiastically with a clap. "And besides, you know you'd be lost without me." He patted her head patronizingly.

"Oi," she said swatting his hand away as she stood. "I'll have you know I'm very good at finding my way across the cosmos. And besides, who would be lost without who?" she retorted haughtily, placing her hands on her hips.

"Touche, Rose Tyler! Quite right you are." He didn't admit just how true her words were.

She gave a short nod in victory.

He stood. "Bring 'em over tonight then, yeah?" he asked brightly.

"Yeah I can do that," she said her grin widening.

"And... _don't_ bring your mother. I don't want the moment spoiled," he remarked with an exaggerated look of dislike.

"What do you mean? I'm sure Tony won't mind if mum's there."

"I meant for _me_," he said amused.

"_You are impossible_!" she said playfully sticking her tongue at him as they departed.

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It was nearly time to leave as Gareth made his way back up to the second floor. His earpiece beeped, alerting him to a call as he darted back into the shadow of the hallway.

"Did you discover anything about the Doctor?" a voice asked in his ear.

"No, there was nothing of interest in his office. Mostly spare parts and random space junk from the rift. I couldn't find any personal files on him. It seems whoever he is, he didn't exist until two months ago. There is no record of any family, and his records were likely issued by Torchwood itself," he whispered in reply.

"So there is no clue on his country of origin?"

"No. But from what the other employees have said he seems to know much more than he should. He knows every alien language fluently. He knows what everything that comes of the rift is. He's a genius and there are rumors that he's not from Earth."

"Rumors, from where?"

"Well, apparently he worked with the Preachers to defeat the Cybermen a few years ago. It was rumored that an alien was the one to bring about their ultimate demise. We have no proof the two were one in the same but given his expertise..."

"It could be."

"What's his connection to Tyler?"

"The Director? He seems to be spending a lot of time with his daughter."

"Rose? Well that's to be expected. They are working on the case together."

"Yes, though it runs deeper than that. Their true relationship is remains ambiguous but we've been following their movement on satellite. They are spending a lot of time together outside of work."

"Keep me posted."

He lowered his hand with the end of the call. He idly swiped his badge before stepping into the room but stopped walking upon seeing a dark shape crouched by the generator. "Sorry, you're not allowed to be in here after hours" he spoke cautiously to the back of the standing person. "It's nearly time for the lab to close..."

Suddenly the person in black turned, gloved hands holding a satchel of stolen intel.

"My god! But, but that means it wasn't... But... but..." Gareth's mind began racing.

Gareth backed into the door as the person advanced. Suddenly a blinding light flashed as the cowering man slumped to the floor in a daze. The assailant bent down above him and placed a circular device in his jacket pocket, activating the tracking capabilities.

"Go to the parkade," sounded the order.

Without hesitation, Gareth stood, his eyes staring blankly as he turned and exited.

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Rose strummed her fingers lazily against Jake's table as she sat at his chair in the nearly emptied atrium below. She had been waiting patiently to speak to Gareth hoping to catch him before he'd gone home, having just barely missed him before he popped into the lab. The door rattled from above. She hopped up at his emerging figure, soon stepping down the stairs. As he walked briskly across the open floor Rose slyly fell in step behind him.

"Gareth, can I um, talk with you?"

But he didn't turn to address her. She jogged forward to catch up with him.

"Look, I know you're probably busy, it's just that I wanted to ask about-" she broke off at the peculiar look upon his face. "Gareth?" she asked tentatively. "Is something is wrong?"

He hadn't blinked once. There was something disturbingly familiar about his expression. Then with a sinking feeling she realized what it must be- mind control. _Just like the Doctor said. _

Suddenly she felt the urgency of the situation as they ascended the parkade stair case. "Gareth, you _can't_ leave! People have been going missing!" He stepped into the main level car lot. Her heartbeat quickened as she eyed the waning daylight streaming into the warehouse from the open hangar door. "Don't step over that line! Whatever this is, it's been taking people off base for a reason! The transmat blocker is protecting you. Step outside and you could disappear!" she yelled. But he was wholly unaffected by her warnings, his blank face a shell, empty of the man inside as they weaved around parked cars..

"Oi, you there!" she barked at the armored guard in front of the entrance. "Give us a hand!" He broke into a trot but inside she knew he'd never get there in time. The light was filtering in as they neared the edge. She had to act now. In a last ditch effort to prevent him from walking off site, she lunged at him, tackling him around the waist. Gareth stumbled back but managed to stay upright as he struggled to shake her off once more. She momentarily froze as she spotted what appeared to be a strange blinking device in his pocket. That's all it took. With a violent shove, Rose was sent tumbling into the pavement. She rolled onto her knees in an instant, her eyes were wide and fearful as she spotted a black scorch mark upon the wall. Her stomach dropped. The camera had been blasted. This was all planned. Horror gripped her. "Gareth, no!"

In that moment, Gareth stepped into the twilight and was gone. Her mouth fell open in shock. She stumbled to her feet and dashed to the edge as far as she dare go, but he was nowhere.

* * *

A couple of minutes later, she staggered back into the atrium, her breath was ragged and strained from the exhaustive task of running at stop speed. "_G- Gareth_!" she said breathlessly, relieved to see Jake back at his desk.

"Rose!" he said surprised. "You won't believe it! I set my earpiece to alert me if any signals popped up and guess what? I just got a ping... _Rose_?" His eyes took in her unsettled state for the first time.

"Gareth is gone!" She shakily pointed toward the corridor.

"What?!" he yelled jumping to his feet.

"Get dad! Where's the Doctor?!"

"I don't know... in his office I guess."

A few moments later Rose sat in Jake's chair, visibly shaken, Pete by her side bent over in hushed conversation.

"Rose, Rose are you okay?" the Doctor called out at the sight of them sprinting into the atrium, Jake just behind him. He stopped just in front her, placing his hand against the side of her face searchingly.

"Yeah fine. But Gareth, he was zapped away right in front of me!" she said urgently.

"So much for that idea," mumbled Jake. "Now we're back to where we started."

"What happened?!" snapped Hartman from afar, storming into the room, a security team following in her wake. They fanned out around her, disappearing into halls and climbing steps like scurrying ants.

"I saw him walking down the stairs," Rose began. "I tried to talk to him but it was like he couldn't even see me. He didn't even blink. And I saw something in his jacket, some sort ofdevice. It was flashing. I tried to stop him but he pushed me to the ground. As soon as he stepped out of the warehouse he disappeared."

The Doctor leaned over to catch her eyes, placing his hands upon her shoulders."What did it look like, when he disappeared? Was there a light, or a strange smell?!" he asked seriously.

"It was bright blue light, and then he just sort of _vanished_."

He bit his lip in thought as he released her.

"What about the security camera in the carpark? Has anyone looked at the footage yet?" Hartman questioned sharply.

Rose shook her head solemnly. "The camera, it was destroyed. Whoever did this was prepared."

"Assistant Director Hartman, we've had another security breach in the lab!" a young woman called frantically from the second level.

Hartman stole an angry look the Doctor's way before trotting up the steps, her heels clicking loudly. Pete tore himself after her.

"Whatever is going on, it's definitely related," Rose said as her eyes watched Yvonne and her father disappear into the lab. "Doctor, it looked like mind control, and then he was teleported. Was it the Sycorax?" Blood control and beaming things on board their ship were two abilities the Sycorax had held no reservations in demonstrating during their encounter on their original earth.

He twirled to face her. "What did the device look like, that you saw? Have you seen it before?" the Doctor asked fervently.

"No, no I haven't. I don't know how to describe it really," she said with a shrug.

He groaned in frustration, brushing his chin as he paced the floor. He needed to know what she had seen and there was only _one_ sure way to do that. Oh but he_ really_ shouldn't. Any other mind and it would be no problem, but hers...

It was silly of him to be so concerned about it. It was merely a data transfer after all. And besides, the relevant thoughts were fresh on her mind. He shouldn't have to dig. A quick peek and it would be over. But... Rose Tyler had a dislike for anything that messed with her head. He wondered if she might refuse him. He spun to face her seated figure. "Rose, do you trust me?" he asked earnestly.

"Why?" the words stumbled from her mouth before she could stop them."I mean, course I do," she added quickly, "but_ why?_"

He took a step forward, holding out his hand out to help her stand. She took it tentatively as he hoisted her to her feet. "I need to see what you saw, and there's only one way for me to do that. I need to look inside your mind."

"_What?!"_ Her eyes flew wide and her stomach lurched uncomfortably at the prospect. Suddenly the memories of her recent distressing dreams concerning him surfaced in her mind. She swallowed, her face flushing.

"Rose if there were any other way..."

She squared her shoulders. "I know. It's okay." People's lives were on the line after all. She had to do what needed doing no matter how inconvenient or embarrassing.

"If there's something you don't want me to see all you need to do is imagine a door and I won't look, I promise," he assured, closing the last bit of distance between them. She nodded.

He drew up his hands as her trusting soft caramel eyes met his. His heart thudded. To see the mind of Rose Tyler was something he had only let himself dream about. Closing his eyes, his hands gently brushed through her blond hair and found her temples as he nearly placed his forehead against hers, stopping just short. She quivered under his touch as something akin to electricity coursed between them. He held his breath as he nestled his mind into hers, savoring her essence before exhaling audibly. Something unexpected and familiar lie there, something he had missed for weeks now: the incredibly faint presence of the TARDIS. It must have latched onto her psyche, one tiny bit remaining, lingering within her after he had extradited the vortex from her mind so very long ago in a fiery kiss. He folded himself deeper into them both, unexpectedly reveling in the companionship of what he loved most in the universe, his ship and his Rose. He had been lonely for _so_ long. With all the voices of his people once buzzing in the back of his mind long since silenced and his ship tucked away in another universe, being inside her mind felt _literally_ like coming home.

She drew in a sharp breath as she felt his enveloping presence, warm and inviting. Whatever she had expected this was far from it. She felt _the Doctor_, pure unadulterated _him_, her full Time Lord, holding her, embracing her, caressing her mind as if everything else had fallen away but them. Her soul responded, resonating with his, causing his breathing to quicken against her face.

Blimey he needed to pull himself together. He had undergone this task for a purpose, and this was _not_ it. He was to scan her mind, not _bond_ with her! And they had already subconsciously started the process! _Rassilon help him!_

With effort, Rose brought the images of what had just transpired before her mind. Grateful for her initiative, his brows squeezed in concentration as he saw through her memories the disturbing look in Gareth's eyes, the way he continued to shrug her off as they ascended the stairs, the moment he pushed her to the ground, and the look she got of the circular device. As if by some other force, the memory paused as the device grew larger, zooming closer. Then just as quickly, the memories began unfolding once more. Gareth vanishing, the familiar effect of the teleport whizzing as his atoms dissolved into the air.

"Should we leave you two love birds alone then?" Jake's voice teased, severing the connection with a start.

The Doctor staggered back, inhaling deeply, struggling against the stinging loneliness now taking hold after ripping apart from her before the connection could fully take hold. Rose gasped aloud at the sudden emptiness left behind in his wake. That was close. _Too_ close. It seemed a Time Lord brain with the will power of a human body was an explosive combination.

"It's a Sontaran transporter," he croaked, trying to right himself, his hand running through his hair dark locks, making them stand on end.

"Son what?" asked Jake.

"_Sontaran_. It's an alien species of warriors. They clone themselves and battle planets across the cosmos for fame and glory." If there were to be a sobering thought to be had given his current state, a Sontaran threat was certainly enough to snap him back into reality.

"This is bad then. I mean, it's aliens after all?" Rose asked, drawing her arms around herself to battle against the inexplicable cold spreading inside her. She knew a thing or two about the Sontarans after her brush with Donna's alternate universe and it was not good. She had seen the wanton devastation they had wrecked upon countless alternate worlds.

"Not necessarily," he began as he twirled bouncing along the floor in thought. "We can't know for sure who's behind this. This is _Torchwood_ after all; the device could have easily come from right here. We have several Sontaran weapons and tools sitting on the inventory shelves as we speak and whoever is responsible knows their way around. It's hard to say if it was really Sontaran or just borrowed or stolen. But if our satellite surveillance trap worked we could be in business!"

He swung around and sat upon Jake's chair scooting up to the computer, his hands moving impossibly fast along the keys. "Wait a minute, this is wrong," he said shoving his dark rimmed glasses onto his face. "Someone disabled our little trap. Whatever it was should have been seen right here," he said pointing to the screen showing a view of earth. It suddenly went black. He cursed.

"Doctor, what if it is the Sontarans?" whispered Rose.

A disconcerting expression was smeared upon his face as he turned to her. "Then god help us."


	15. Chapter 15

EDIT: Fixed the repost. This is the new chapter. Be sure that you have read the last chapter before reading this one. (I posted two chapters last Saturday and you might have missed it). Review if you can! I'd love some feedback. Action will be picking up from here. Cheers!

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**Chapter 15**

Try as she may to focus on the happy occasion, Rose was somber as she struggled to zip up Tony's wool coat just inside the mansion in preparation to leave for the Doctor's flat. The memories of what had occurred earlier claimed her mind refusing to let up the troubled aura pressing upon her. Luckily for her, Tony was oblivious to her downcast mood. Instead he was bursting with excitement, a toothy grin upon his face. This had been a day he had looked forward to for weeks- seeing his hero's TARDIS for the first time. She doubted there was anything in the universe that could dampen his spirits.

"Call me if you need anythin' and don't keep 'em out late!" Jackie fussed as she smoothed the child's hair and placed a knitted cap upon his head.

"Don't worry mum. We'll be back soon."

"And you promise me that thing doesn't really work? 'Cos if he takes Tony anywhere I swear on my life I will kill him!" she warned thrusting a finger in the air.

"Mum I told you, it's nothing but spare parts. It'll be fine, I _promise!_ I would never do anything to jeopardize Tony's safety," she spoke firmly as she stood.

"Well alright then," she mumbled, her eyes still somewhat reserved. "Have fun sweetheart." She kissed Tony's head and gave Rose a good squeeze.

The stars were bright as she led the way into the cool night. Tony was all smiles as he jumped into her car.

She eyed her little brother from the mirror as he looked out the window at the passing scenery. The Doctor's words of warning echoed in her mind after she had asked if the unseen force were Sontarans: _Then god help us._ It wasn't like him to use such a phrase. While she knew him well enough to know he was not religious it was enough out of character for him that it sent shivers down her spine, not for her sake, but for her little brother's. She counted her blessings that he had not seen the horrors of war that she had witnessed, and she hoped that day would never come but she had seen enough in her lifetime to know that no one was exempt from the harsh realities of life.

She struggled to find happier thoughts, anything to drive away the deep unease and loneliness as she gripped the steering wheel tighter. Her mind drifted to the moment the Doctor had read her mind. It was a happier thought indeed. Though at the time she had been utterly mortified at the need for such an exchange she had actually found it to be a pleasant experience. No more than that, _amazing_. In a way, to feel his presence in her mind made her feel closer to him. In fact, for a moment it felt just like _her_ Time Lord was there with her again, holding her. Perhaps she was being silly. It was after all a brief encounter, but one that made her weak in the knees nonetheless.

She pulled up to the familiar complex with a grin, her new home away from home. "Come on!" she said, helping her brother out of the car. "Off you go!"

He went running up to the door and eagerly pressed the doorbell three times. A moment later the Doctor swallowed him up in a big hug and lifted him up in his arms. "Hey! Here's my little man! Are you ready to see your surprise?" he asked.

"Yes, yes, yes!" the boy cried joyfully taking off his cap.

He set him down and ruffled his blond hair. "Righto, Allons-y spaceman!" With that they raced towards the sliding glass door. It was no suitable obstacle for the hyperactive boy on a mission. In an instant he was outside standing on the grass, his face alight with wonder at the sight of an impossible blue box sitting serenely in the moonlight. Rose couldn't contain her joy at seeing his reaction.

"Wow!" Tony said jumping in glee, his warm breath clouding around his mouth. "Can we go inside, can we, can we?"

"Yep!" The Doctor stole a key from his pocket and fitted it into the door, swinging it open. Rose looked on curiously as they took a step inside. She stopped for a moment; it _wasn't_ bigger on the inside and looked rather dark.

"Are you coming Rose?" the Doctor asked expectantly with an undercurrent of mischief, a lopsided smile upon his lips as he held open the door.

"Oh um, _sure_," she said rather hesitantly, moving her feet upon the crunchy grass while speculating just how tight of a fit this would be. She squished inside the dark box as he closed the door behind her. At first there was nothing but black, then a brief flicker of lights. In a flash of blue, gold, and green there stood rounded nodules, coral columns, and an achingly familiar console, an exact replica of the original TARDIS. She gasped aloud.

"Perception Filter," he explained with a wry smile. "Couldn't have just anyone outside peeking in here. Turns off when the door is closed. Still has extrapolator shielding and only opens with this key," he said proudly, obviously most pleased at himself. She stuck her tongue playfully out at him from between her teeth for being much too smug at having fooled her. He giggled in response bouncing on the balls of his feet.

"What do _you_ think Tony?" the Doctor asked.

His little eyes were wide and his mouth opened as he took in the splendor of the room. The soft green glow from beneath the metal grate lit the entire console up.

"Here let me show you," he said kneeling down by Tony. "I've built you a stool so you can see up here." He took out a black metal stand and helped him up. "You can press all the buttons you want. This one- turns on different lights," he said demonstrating. "And this one goes ding!" he exclaimed exuberantly, letting little Tony press it several times. "And this one, now _this_ one is my favorite. Go on, pull this lever." He reached his little hand up and pulled with all his might but it didn't budge. "Try two hands, go on, then. You can do it," he encouraged.

He strained and groaned but finally managed to flip it downward. The inner console lit up in response, the time rotor pumping up and down, a haunting sound effect playing from within the console. It sent chills down her spine awakening cherished memories. A warmth tugged at Rose to see the sight of the two of them together, both so entranced, Tony by the machine, and the Doctor by Tony.

"That's the sound of the universe," he whispered reverently. "What do you think?" He unexpectedly felt a lump in his throat. Having this little child as part of his life was more than he ever thought he would have again. He couldn't help but feel a bit fatherly toward him. But little Tony didn't answer, he was much too busy pressing every button and pulling every lever he could get his hands on with wild abandon. The Doctor laughed heartily at the sight.

"There's not anything dangerous in here, is there?" Rose asked from behind him, the tone of her voice somewhat reserved. "Mum will kill me if anything happens to him."

Abruptly he sprung to his feet, stuffing his hands in his blue suit pockets. "Nope," he assured. "On the surface she looks the same, but everything's been redesigned merely for visual effect instead of being functional. The grate and stairs beneath us are just another perception filter. See?" he said hopping. "Solid and safe. All the rooms were lost when you brought her here. I only managed to replicate the control room and make it bigger on the inside by using a broken time vortex manipulator. I had to do a fair bit of jiggery-pokery to get it to work, mind you, but for a little kid, it'll do. Of course I did add a little play room off to the side," he said gesturing with his thumb to the left. "A few books, pillows, and... toys." The little boy ran into the play room towards the toys in a fit of giggles. They stood back watching Tony play from afar.

She smiled affectionately. "Look at you, being all uncle-like."

He laughed. "Is that what I am now? _Uncle Doctor? _Somehow it just doesn't have the right ring to it."

Though it was but a shell of the TARDIS, having it there in tandem with the duplicate Doctor just feet away almost made her feel as if she were home again. "Wow, this brings back memories," Rose said running her hand over the console.

He turned toward her, nodding silently. A bittersweet feeling seized him at the sight of her standing at the there, the ache for simpler days settling in him, and an urge to be reunited with her mind to feel the TARDIS once more surfaced.

"This is really nice of you. I- I know it couldn't have been easy to see her like this."

"It was worth it though," he said with a gentle smile that didn't quite reach his eyes.

In two steps she caught him around the middle, giving him a tight squeeze. "Thank you." He held her close, relishing the opportunity as he drew his hands across her back and tucked his chin in her hair, feeling whole again at their close contact if just for a moment.

After an hour of playing, Tony pretending to be the Doctor, Rose being the plucky young companion, and the Doctor playing the part of the misunderstood alien in need of aid (he being the logical choice of course), they strolled out onto the grass once more. The Doctor lifted little Tony onto his shoulders much to his delight and pointed out the faint stars above.

He often found himself standing outside here, looking wistfully at the TARDIS under the starlight, aching for past days and itching for new adventures. Being able to see Rose every day, investigating with her, it was amazing and brilliant but there was still something missing, something Torchwood could never provide: _freedom_. He was starting to get restless. Maybe that was the _real_ reason he wanted to build the sensor, to explore the stars any way he could. And... he wasn't sure how to tell Rose about his increasing desire to leave. _With_ her of course. Because he couldn't have it any other way. Wouldn't think of it.

"Doctor?" Rose's voice asked, suddenly breaking him from his thoughts. "What's gonna happen if this thing _is_ Sontaran? What happens if they try to invade?"

He stole a glance her way, his countenance falling, barely visible in the faint orange glow of the patio light. With a grunt he lowered Tony to the ground and stood next to her, looking upwards. "Well, if they decide to attack there won't be much we can do. They have superior fire power and the numbers to decimate earth's entire population. I hardly think they'd attack us though, we aren't worth the effort. No glory in it. But remember Rose, we don't know exactly who we are dealing with yet."

"But, if it is, what can we do? We don't have a TARDIS anymore. What about..." her eyes fell to her little brother, now busily stomping on the grass, no doubt imaging some unseen foe beneath his feet.

His eyes followed her gaze. "Rose, I swear to you, I will do _everything_ in my power to protect you and your family," he promised steadfastly.

Even in the dark, she could see the truth in his face. His assurances were comforting, but what if that wasn't enough? What then? While she had no doubt of the sincerity of his convictions she couldn't help but wonder if he was less than his counterpart, now somehow unable to work the miracles once so effortlessly wrought. With human DNA would undoubtedly come human faults and short comings. Just how far did those extend? He had yet to be tested after all. They didn't have the luxury of the TARDIS nor did he know the ins and outs of this universe. Should they get into trouble just what was going to save them with the proper Doctor a universe away?

The Doctor once again lifted his eyes, looking at the faint glow of the stars, wondering just where this unseen enemy lay. _Hm. Curious._ Were his eyes playing tricks on him? No, definitely not.

"What, what is it Doctor?"

He quickly pulled out his sonic and aimed it high in the sky. Alarm took over his face. "_Rose_..." he said warningly. "Get Tony in the TARDIS."

Dread clamped down on her lungs at his tone of voice. Her arm shot out and snatched the boy as she thrust him inside, the Doctor on their heels. He twirled around and slammed the door shut as he peered through the glass.

"What's going on," she asked in a panic.

"Bellatrix was another half a degree out of place from three weeks ago when we were investigating. Likely a distortion caused by a cloak filter. A ship just happened to be sitting right in front of that star just now and I noticed it. Usually my sonic isn't able to so high up but in this case, it picked up a scan underway, a scan specifically aimed at us." He turned to look her way, her eyes as large as saucers, more frightened than he had ever seen her before, Tony clutching her leg. "It's harmless, just scanning for energy readings, he assured her. "Probably picked up some of my projects in the flat." He turned to peek out the window once more. "But... I reckon you should take him home now."

"But what if it's not safe?" she asked worried.

His eyes swept the stars "It's back in place, whatever it was, it moved." He did another scan to confirm. "Yep, gone."

Rose shook her head. "No way. I'm not risking my brother, Doctor." Normally she wasn't phased by unseen threats, alien or no, but when it came to her little brother she was fiercely protective.

"That technology used a Sontaran teleportation pod device to transport Gareth. It can't beam just anything on board like the Sycorax. It needs two points of origin and a transmitter for the transport to work. We should be fine." Her gaze didn't soften. He sighed.

Striding forward, he patted Tony's little head. "Would you like to have a sleepover in here tonight with your big sis?" he asked cheerfully. He needn't of asked. Tony was nearly beside himself with glee.

"I'll make you both beam inhibitors," he said matter-of-factly to Rose,"to prevent any unwanted transporting. I can put the chips in anything you'd like, your watch, his shoe, anything. It will also scramble any further scanning attempts. Shouldn't take more than a couple of hours. We can all camp out in here while I work, sing songs, make smores, the whole shebang. You'll be all set and on your way in the morning."

She nodded in relief, a sideways smile creeping at the edge of her lips. "Thanks."

"Now!" he said clapping his hands together. "Who wants popcorn and fizzy drinks?"

"Me, me!" cried the little boy.


	16. Chapter 16

How are you guys liking the story so far? Thanks for those who have left reviews. They fuel my drive to keep writing and illustrating. Just you know, I'm thinking of updating once a week from now on. Friday afternoons. We're halfway through! ;)

**Chapter 16**

"Yes, yes I understand Madam President. Yes ma'am. Yes I will, thank you."

It was midday as Pete rubbed his forehead and set the phone on his Torchwood desk. This was getting serious. The depth of the infiltration into their facility had the powers that be squirming. On the heels of the latest abduction and security breach congress was pressuring Harriet Jones to act quickly to curb the alien threat. It seemed many had found Torchwood to be a liability instead of an asset due to the vast amount of alien tech and government secrets now in the hands of a mole. He couldn't blame him but their method of control made his blood run cold. They were calling for the immediate neutralization of all alien artifacts and personnel. It was a logistical and political nightmare. It was all he could do to ask her to wait. If they upset their newfound amicable relations with these planets they could do much more harm than good. While Harriet was in agreement, her hands were tied. The House was going to take it to a secret vote by week's end. If they didn't act fast to unmask the true threat they would likely have to cave to political pressures.

He tried to imagine what Torchwood would look like after such a move. They had been working for the past six years exploring and building relationships with several ally planets, some of which were under dire need of aid due to environmental calamity or planetary political infighting. They had opened their doors to refugees by the hundreds, letting them live and work in the facility and in and around London under close watch. Any sentient being who wish to remain on Earth was required to be fitted with a shimmer to disguise them and given strict laws against making their true identities known. For the most part they had lived peaceably along side humans. If this went through, all of that would be undone. Some of these refugees had nowhere else to go. And some of them had become integral parts of his staff, not the least of whom was the Doctor.

Instinctively he clutched the clip on his tie in which the Doctor had inserted a tiny transport blocker. It wasn't unlike the pieces he had given Jackie, Rose, and Tony, though their chips had been inserted into various other things. He had to admit, having them safe from abduction was an enormous load off of his shoulders. Still, being close the Doctor meant his family could potentially be targeted and therefore were in danger. The episode the night before with Tony was a testament to that. He began rubbing his temples struggling to keep the pounding in his head from worsening.

A knock at the door caused him to jump. There, behind the glass doors, stood Assistant Director Hartman. He stood to let her in his spacious office, ushering her through the wall of glass. He preferred the transparency of his office. It enabled him to easily look down at the hustle and bustle of the atrium below and it had become a symbol of his effort to be open and honest with his employees. He sat in his chair behind his desk as she sat across from him. "How can I help you?" he asked, clasping his hands together.

"We have a serious problem, Director, one that now directly affects me. I need to know what you know"

"First, I am so sorry for your loss. We are doing all we can to get Gareth Evans back..."

"How did they take him in the first place?!"

"He was compromised. We don't know how yet, but he didn't seem to be in his right mind when he stepped out of the protection of the building. But rest assured we have fixed the camera and have doubled the security. If anyone acts suspiciously they will be detained and questioned immediately."

"That's not good enough, Director," she spoke, her brows furrowed.

"What would you have me do?"

"This is alien in nature, we must focus on that."

"This entire facility is focus around alien-"

"That's not what I meant. We need to lock this place down starting with everything and anyone alien."

He tapped the desk with his thumb pensively. "President Jones and Congress would agree with you," he finally admitted with a resigned sigh.

She tilted her head, scrutinizing him. "But you don't," she stated flatly.

He shook his head. "No. If we start rounding up aliens and imprisoning them we run the risk of hurting delicate relations with several ally planets. This whole thing could backfire."

"Director who or whatever this is now has access to top-secret information. We can't let this go on any further. I'm sorry to admit as much sir, but we've lost a handle on things. The last thing we need is another jurisdiction to take over command. UNIT has been breathing down my neck about this. They want to take over the investigation and I for one will not be stand for some global takeover of a British agency. We must take action now."

He sighed. "We need time. The Doctor-"

"He's _had_ time! And maybe he's part of the problem."

Pete raised a brow in response. "Go on."

"Director, I'd like to know who he is and where he came from."

Pete shifted uncomfortably. "Hartman, that information is on a need-to-know basis."

Beneath her curled bangs, her brows twisted in indignity. "And you don't think that the Assistant Director of Torchwood Three should be in the know? We've got people going missing left and right. May I remind you that should you ever be compromised_ I_ would be the acting director? Don't you it prudent that I be fully aware of my staff?"

He eyed her searchingly. The last thing he needed was for her find out about the Doctor's true nature under the current circumstances. "Director, I can assure you that the Doctor is a wonderful asset. That is all you need to know."

"Oh I'm quite aware of that," she said lifting her head. "Why he's so brilliant he's turned this _entire_ place around in the short time he's been here. He's fluent in limitless numbers of alien languages, he's an expert of everything that comes out of that rift, and the moment he stepped foot into my facility members of my staff started disappearing."

He straightened himself up, wincing at the pain in his head. "So that's what this is about. You think _he's_ behind the abductions?"

She didn't answer. Instead she merely blinked lazily in confirmation.

"Ms. Hartman you would be mistaken."

"And you know this, how?"

"Because I know that man. I've known him for six years now and he's only ever done _everything_ in his power to help."

"Think about it Director. Whoever this is has great knowledge of alien transportation and is able to easily get around security. _The Doctor_ was found snooping the lab by none other than Gareth himself just the other day. The data files on the lab show no unauthorized entry. There's only one person who with brazen disregard for protocol bypasses security on every front and that is _him_."

His head began pounding more forcefully. "Hartman..."

She tilted her head thoughtfully. "Where's he from?" she muttered.

"I think we're done here," he declared.

She stood, frustrated. "Very well. I'll get to the bottom of this, _Director_, with or without your help," she warned before walking towards the door.

* * *

The Doctor had been helping the IT department run a software patch in the atrium below when he happened to look up to find Yvonne Hartman watching the from the glass balcony of the second level. There was something in her eyes- so very speculative, _scheming_ even, certainly enough to unsettle him. It was a look becoming of someone using Torchwood to facilitate their own objectives, something he didn't put past Yvonne Hartman one bit and something the actions of her parallel version did nothing to dispel.

It was hard to judge rather she had anything to do with Gareth's disappearance, or that of Dr. Cummings and agent Rawlins. Perhaps they had gotten too close and had to be silenced. Whatever the reason, the more he gleaned about the energy project the more he suspected it was sinister in nature. He held her eyes for several moments before finally looking away.

"Care for a cuppa?" Adeola's voice asked suddenly.

He twirled to find her standing behind him. "Oh hello there, didn't see you." He looked down at her outstretched arm holding out a steaming cup of tea. "Oh, yes, yes thank you very much." He took the cup and gave an appreciative swig, releasing a satisfied puff of air. "Very rejuvenating, tea. Full of free radicals. _Great_ for the synapses of the brain. Ta!" he said with a slight raise of his cup. "I'm surprised to see you down here. Don't you usually work with her highness up there?" he asked with a nod of his head.

She let out a chortle. "Yes well, that'll be the reason I'm down here now. Just got transferred. I've had about enough of her," she commented in obvious dislike, eying the balcony from over her own cup of tea. God she looked just like Martha.

"Is that so? Why the change of heart? Haven't you worked with her since you've been here?" He realized only after the words escaped his lips that in-depth knowledge of her past may be a bit unnerving to her. She, after all, wasn't likely to know that they had been investigating every employee under Hartman's watch. What with the staring and the knowing personal details of her life it was likely he was coming off a tad bit stalker-like.

"Oh," she said surprised. "Yeah, I have but... well... with the whole Gareth Evans thing, and Hartman getting so snippy it was getting to be too much. I thought I'd try my hand a field work. I'm on team two now." Her face fell ever so slightly and he suddenly wondered how deep her feelings for Gareth had gone. "Still, best to move on. Onto the next. Another adventure waiting around the corner. Am I right?"

He smiled. If only she knew. "Yes indeed. Brilliant plan." He took another sip.

"And what about you? You know so much about me, but I all I know is you seem to be some sort of expert on... well _everything_. How did you come to know so much?"

"Oh, well I've just been around, that's all," he tried to say casually as he took another sip.

"What, like _out there_?" she asked with that achingly familiar amused yet fascinated look Martha used to give him. "Are you saying you're an alien?"

He nearly choked on his tea. "Oh- pardon me," he coughed. After a bout of trying to catch his breath he continued,"no, not as such."

She smiled knowingly. "Right, well... if you say so, _Doctor._"

He couldn't keep the lopsided smile from spreading at the edge of his mouth. She had some Martha in her yet.

"I uh... I know this may seem forward, but I wanted to give you this," she spoke tentatively fumbling with something in her pocket before holding out a piece of paper.

Setting down his cup he took it curiously. He opened it to find numbers scrawled up on it, her name written below. "Oh," he said slowly, his eyes drawing up in understanding. Seemed she hadn't been put off by him. Quite the opposite in fact. Now this _was_ awkward. Instinctively his eyes flitted to Rose on the opposite end of the atrium. She had been watching their conversation before breaking her gaze to chat with Jake beside her.

Adeola followed his line of sight."Oh god, you're with her aren't you? I'm sorry. Jake said... well anyway..."

"Well no actually."

Her eyes flipped up to his.

"Well yes, weeeell... it's..._ complicated_," he finally managed to get out, tugging the end of his reddening ear.

"I see," she said finally, searching his face. "Well if things ever get... _uncomplicated_ give me a call." A small smile found her mouth as she hurried past him to take her place at her desk down the line.

Rose looked on from afar. It was... nothing. Just her best friend getting a girl's number. She should be happy for him. Shouldn't she? Yes... she should be _happy_. He deserved... a hand to hold.

She dropped her gaze to her own hands and found she had been subconsciously wringing them. If it were such a good thing then why did it feel so... wrong? Could be residual jealously over Martha? She had, after all been the Doctor's companion and he clearly had taken a liking to this woman whose resemblance to her was uncanny. Rose had never pressed him for information about his relationship with Martha, mainly because as a 'friend' it should be of no interest. Not that she didn't wonder. Often. And now she couldn't help but wonder more.

"Oh look at that, eh? Bit of a lady killer that one, hm?" Jake asked, sitting back in his chair while folding his arms. He gave Rose a sweeping look. "Is that typical behavior for him then?"

Rose shifted uncomfortably, folding her own arms to still her hands. Sharp memories of his flirting exploits in the past cut into her, opening old wounds. "I wish I could say it wasn't."

"You wish?" Jake asked suddenly, swiveling toward her.

He was fishing for more information, no doubt clinging to the one strand of information she should have never let slip. Instead of replying she shot him a dark look as the Doctor's figure approached. He stuffed the slip of paper in his trouser pockets instead of tossing it into the bin under the desk. Rose pretended not to notice, instead stiffening as she briefed him.

"Well, there have been no reports of any recent signals or missing people save the one that registered over us last night. Whatever is going on had been localized around Torchwood itself and your flat," she said coolly as she scanned the computer over Jake's shoulder.

The Doctor eyed her hesitantly, knowing she had seen what had transpired. She didn't seem phased by it in the least, or if she had, she was keeping it hidden. He couldn't determine if this was good or bad.

"Well it's interest in Torchwood makes sense," Jake remarked, looking between them. "We've got all kinds of tech agencies could want."

"But not aliens," countered Rose. "If that device really was Sontaran then they must be here for something else because they've got superior technology."

"Yep," the Doctor muttered looking distractedly off to see Adeola peeking at him. Rose couldn't help but watch their silent exchange. "What could be so important here on earth they would travel so far for? We are hardly a foe worth battling. Of course, they could be up to their old tricks," he said, pursing his lips, seemingly lost in thought.

"What do you mean?" questioned Jake.

He sat upon the edge of the desk. "Well on my earth they covertly created something called the ATMOS system under the false premise of reducing carbon emissions from cars. In fact, it was a way to alter the chemicals in the atmosphere to convert the air into food for Sontaran clones. Basically they had plans to use planet earth as a massive breeding ground for their kind to raise an army of millions. But so far there's seems to be no such move to do the same thing here. I would have heard it on the news if they're had been."

"Well they've got to be here for something," Rose asserted.

"Rose," began Jake, "we don't even know if that's what's going on here. Whoever is doing this knows the ins and outs of Torchwood. They are likely just using alien technology to their advantage. I still think it's an intelligence grab by some unseen cooperation or country," Jake contended.

"Or person," the Doctor whispered as the advancing form of Yvonne Hartman approached. Jake and Rose both straightened.

"Doctor, I was wondering if I could have your help with the NOVAE project today," she said, her voice dripping with a sickening sweetness.

He couldn't hide his surprise as he looked over at Rose. "Well... I..."

She spoke, eying the two of them as they exchanged hesitant glances,"Oh it won't take long. Not unless you feel you have something more important to do with your time than help you superiors."

His mouth dropped, taken aback at her complete brazenness.

"The Doctor is free to work on whatever case he pleases," Pete said suddenly behind them. "And actually I want him on this case. We've got another missing employee and he's the best man for the job." Pete walked forward, his hands in his black suit jacket. "Although, I do have another pressing matter I need you to look at if have the time. We are in the midst of having peace talks with the Tovolli, thing is, they refuse to respect anyone who doesn't address them in their native language, and well it's time sensitive..."

Something about the way Pete was eying him told him there was more to the situation than he was letting on. "Oh sure, I can help with that," the Doctor said with a forced smirk. Anything to save him from Hartman's grasp.

"Good," he said with a sigh. "I've delivered the files to your office on your desk."

"Right... I'll um... just go _get_ them. Off we go then," he said gesturing with his wide eyes at Rose. They retreated back toward his office eager to get away, feeling Hartman's eyes like daggers upon their backs.

"Whew, dodged a bullet back there I did. And they call _me_ rude! I thought_ I_ was the one with the superiority complex."

"You don't think she has anything to do with this do you?" Rose asked more seriously. "First with your flat last night, now suddenly she wants your help on NOVAE..."

"Hard to say. Whatever they are working on up there maybe it's best if I do get involved. At least then I can keep a better eye on everything."

"Working with Yvonne? Are you sure you can manage her?"

"I must admit she is a bit annoying. I'm likely to do or say something that will get me in trouble. If I do help it won't be long until she'll want me out of her rather _large_ hair."

She laughed freely. "I'd like to see that! She's never had anyone to put her in her place."

He giggled with her as they made their way toward his office, happy to see her unaffected by what had occurred earlier and hoping to put it behind them. No sooner had he stuffed his hands into his pockets than a flash of white caught Rose's eye.

Upon spying a white slip of paper floating to the ground she bent to retrieve it without a second thought. "Oh, you uh... dropped this," she said standing while opening the scrap in her hand. She couldn't help but see Adeola's name scrawled upon it before shoving it forward without looking up.

He didn't take it. "Rose I-"

"It's okay," she affirmed willing her face to be stoic as she took his hand and placed the paper in his palm. "You deserve some happiness." She bit her lower lip before patting the side of his arm and walked past him into the office, trying to ignore the nerves or nausea settling within, she couldn't be certain which.

He squeezed his eyes tightly shut. This was not what he wanted. He didn't _want _this woman's affections. And he didn't want Rose to encourage him to pursue her either. Didn't she know he only had eyes for her? In fact, he was bothered that she _wasn't_ bothered. Blimey what should he do now? He was no good at this, no good at all.

"_Doctor_?" she called out.

It was a tone of voice that caught him off guard, pulling him forward into the room, ready for action.

"The files, were did dad say they were supposed to be?"

He sprung forward to examine his desk with curiosity. There were no files to be seen. "Hm. Maybe he put them in my drawer?" he reached down.

"Oh no here they are," Rose said, picking an envelope off the spare chair in the corner.

"Ah!" he gasped looking down as he drew his hand up. A single drop of blood began slowly rolling down his middle finger.

"What is it?!" Rose said alarmed quickly stepping to his side.

"I don't know, I got pricked by something." He put on his glasses and cautiously examined his drawer.

"Look there," he said spotting what appeared to be a tiny thumbtack hidden on the inside of the handle. Gingerly he pried it off.

"A tack? But what sort of silly prank is that?"

"I don't think it's just a tack," he said pulling out his sonic screwdriver and carefully holding the device between his fingers. It gave a familiar whirl while a secondary feedback noise sounded from the tiny pin causing them both to wince. "Yep, this puppy is loaded. It's a transmitter of some sort. Whatever it wanted, and I think I have a pretty good idea, it's uploading information wirelessly to some other source as we speak. But just to be safe..." with a wave of his sonic the feedback sound ended. "Disabled the audio," he explained. "Now we don't have to worry about anyone listening in."

Rose brought her hand up to her mouth. "But that means- that means they know you're part Time Lord."

"Actually no," he said tersely, his features sharp and calculating. "It didn't bleed right away. They got a flesh sample. They think I'm full Time Lord," he remarked, holding up his right hand once more.

Her stomach flipped in concern. "This is bad." Whatever was going on, she knew that one bit of his Time Lord DNA was enough to change the course of history. It also meant the investigation was getting far _far_ too close for comfort. She eyed him worriedly.

"Maybe not. Maybe I can track the signal." He carefully placed the tack on the desk and scanned it with his sonic screwdriver before typing on his computer hopefully. His features soon twisted in annoyance. "Drat," he said looking over the top of his dark glasses, "whatever it was is gone now. The signal is leading to empty space. Must have moved after the audio was blocked."

"My god, what is going on?" she asked now more worried than ever. The metallic tack lie dormant upon the desk, unassuming and disabled, but it's presence had far-reaching repercussions. Whatever it was, she was not happy about it's sudden interest in the Doctor, nor the fact that they had been outwitted yet again. They exchanged deliberative glances.

"I'm going to get dad. I'll be right back. And you," she said pointing a finger at him rising to her full height, "you should sonic this entire office and make sure there's no more bugs hiding."

With a lopsided smile, he gave her a mock salute as she departed. "Righto." Throwing his sonic in the air, he dexterously caught it, gave it an affectionate smooch, and turned it on. Slowly, he began walking around the office, sonic in hand, checking for anything out of the ordinary.

It wasn't long before Pete came rushing in. "Are you alright," he asked. "You don't think that had poison or anything on it do you?"

"Nope, just a prick. The bigger problem is finding out who set this up and who disabled our surveillance."

"Is this office secure?" Pete asked looking around leery.

"Yes, my sonic screwdriver would have picked up anything out of the ordinary," he assured.

"In that case, let's see who got into your office," Pete dodged just out of view to put in his master security code on the door lock to see the log.

"Dad, did you put the file on the desk or the chair."

"The desk, why?"

"It was on the chair when we walked in," Rose answered, brushing her hair against her lips in thought. "That means whoever it was had to move quickly between the time you set this here and the time we got back."

"That should help us narrow down the time window of when this occurred," the Doctor remarked as he brought up the surveillance footage, Rose hovering over him.

"Got it!"

"Right there!"

Both Pete and the Doctor yelled at the same time. "It's Jennifer Wilkins," Pete said stepping inside to see the footage for himself.

The Doctor paused the video edging closer to the screen.

"You're right, dad! 'S Nurse Wilkins from the infirmary!" she said flabbergasted.

Pete snatched his com, thrusting it up to his mouth. "Hartman, I need a silent security lock down pronto. No one is to come in or out without level four clearance until I give the all clear. You got that?"

"Understood sir. What's going on?" her crackling voice rang out on the com.

"I'll brief you soon. Meet me in conference room 2a in five."

"Copy."

Rose then stood, drawing her bent finger by her mouth contemplatively. "Somethings off. Why erase the satellite surveillance but not the building surveillance? It's like someone wanted us to find this footage. It was too easy."

Crossing his arms, the Doctor observed her fondly. Oh how he loved watching her _deduct_.

"Are there any files missing?" Rose asked him as she picked up the folder from the edge of the desk and handed it to her dad.

He scanned them quickly, the papers fluttering in his hands. "No, but you should know, these files had nothing to do with the Tovolli."

"What?" Rose asked surprised.

"I just didn't want Hartman to know, we've uncovered a discrepancy in the log files of the NOVAE lab. They've been... _doctored_, forgive the term. These are the original files and the others you were handed before. They are completely different. The ones you received were fabricated. And there's more, the files that were taken a few weeks ago weren't just about NOVAE. They were about you as well, Doctor. And right before Gareth disappeared he had accessed them."

"Dad, is there anyone here who would want to know about the Doctor?" With effort, she prevented herself from laying a possessive hand across his back.

Pete's eyes were guarded and speculative. "Well to be honest there have been some... rumors about you."

"Rumors, what rumors?" the Doctor asked.

"Well it's obvious you are a genius. People _have_ noticed."

He couldn't help but grin cheekily.

Rose snorted, giving his shoulder a soft tap. "Hey you, back to the task at hand."

"And..." Pete exhaled. "Hartman has been asking questions."

"Hartman?" the Doctor repeated questioningly, his brows lifting.

"You don't think she has anything to do with this, do you Dad?"

The corners of his mouth pulled inward in thought, his brow furrowing. "No. No I don't think so."

"You know Pete, I don't think she's being completely forthcoming about the NOVAE project," the Doctor said. "The system isn't being built to transfer energy but to store it. Whatever they're planning to use it for, I don't think it's to power the city."

He nodded in agreement but didn't say anything. "My hands are tied. The energy project is being commissioned by congress and backed by the President. I'll keep an eye on her though. I have a suspicion that Hartman will be doing her own investigating. And you should know, UNIT is trying to get involved so keep a sharp eye."

"Will do." He couldn't help but wonder if maybe UNIT _were_ somehow involved. Though he had seen nothing to suggest as much yet, they were running out of theories. And why the sudden interest in him? What did he have to do with NOVAE?

"Well..." said the Doctor standing and stretching his hands, "don't know about you two but _I've_ got an appointment... at the infirmary."

"I'll leave you two to it then. I don't want people knowing how much I know about this," Pete said prudently. "You should have clearance to leave if you need to."

"But what are you going to tell Hartman?" Rose inquired. If she were behind this, then it was best not to give away that they were on her trail.

"Oh, just that we may have a break in the case. I won't drop a name until you have her in custody. And if you need help I'll have the guards on stand-by," said as they all made their way out of the office.

"Oh there should be no need for that. I'm sure we can handle her," the Doctor commented smugly winking at Rose.

Her heart fell as she pulled her gaze from him, instead watching her dad breaking off toward another hallway to lock down the facility. It was a painful reminder that he was quite the flirt even when he was entertaining the affections of another. Seemed her suspicions about his character were correct. But there was one thing she didn't understand: she had taken precautionary steps, drew lines, and braced herself for the worst in attempt to guard her heart...

So why, after _all_ that, did it not hurt any less?


	17. Chapter 17

**Happy Thanksgiving! I'm stuck at home sick and I thought I'd post the next chapter a day early seeing as I've got nothing else better to do. How'd you all like the 50th? Anyone else angry Moffet promised us Rose only to cheat us out of a reunion? Happy to see that nothing from the 50th constitutes a rewrite in my story though. Without further adieu, here's an angsty chapter for you all.**

**Chapter 17**

The Doctor and Rose approached the infirmary on high alert, two large double doors looming before them. A shudder ran down his spine as he pushed them open. Never was he going to get over his aversion to clinics.

But his train of thought was soon interrupted by a young freckled blond who greeted them from behind the counter. "Hi there," the Doctor responded jovially. "Is Nurse Wilkins in today?"

"She was in, but she's left," the receptionist replied busying herself as she straightened a stack of papers. It was rather obvious that she was entirely unaware of the silent lockdown of the facility.

"Did she say where she was going?" asked Rose nonchalantly.

"Something about her needing to go on some mission. I thought it was odd. We don't get asked to accompany tactical very often."

_Hm_, the Doctor murmured to himself silently, now genuinely starting to worry. "When did she leave?"

"About ten minutes ago."

Simultaneously, both the Doctor and Rose turned to each other. "What if she gets kidnapped?" Rose asked troubled.

"We've got to intercept her."

With that they were running at full speed down and out into the parking lot, waving their badges at the guards standing at the exit.

"Jake, come in Jake!" Rose shouted over her com unit.

"Jake here, what's up?"

"I need you to ping Nurse Wilkins location. We need to find her asap!" she yelled.

"On it!"

Both winded, they climbed into the Doctor's Mercedes before he recklessly pulled out onto the pavement.

"Looks like she's on Worthington Road," Jake informed them over the com.

"Copy that. Take a right here," Rose said pointing.

They were tossed by the g-forces of the sharp turn as the tires screeched, the Doctor yanking on the wheel. Rose was tossed into her window, throwing her hands out to right herself. "Oi! We're no use to her dead! Mind the road!"

"She's turning, she's on Summer Street now," Jake's voice rang out.

They were flying down the road, other commuters honking loudly their way.

"Turn here," Rose instructed loudly.

"Wait, I think I can cut through over this way," the Doctor said eying an alley.

"No, this street doesn't meet Summer Street!" she protested, holding on as he turned roughly once more.

Suddenly they saw what they were looking for: an unmarked Torchwood black sedan.

"But how did..."

"Never mind that, hold on!" he zoomed out onto the street, Rose clinging to her armrest as pedestrians darted out of their way. "Sorry!" he called out.

"Rose, take the wheel!" Pressing the button on his door, he lowered the window whilst pulling out his sonic. Rose struggled to keep control of the car as he aimed his screwdriver high in the air, the blue light emanated from it's tip. Gradually the car in front of them began to slow as it stalled into a putter. He let up the gas and reclaimed the wheel as they pulled off to the side.

Shoving open his door, he quickly ran forward, Rose not far behind. Using his sonic once more the door to the Sedan clicked as he yanked it open.

"Hello Nurse Wilkins. Fancy meeting you here. Mind if we have a word with you?" he inquired with an exhilarated grin.

"Doctor look!" she pointed to a round object embedded in the ceiling of the car, blinking faster and faster.

He jutted his sonic forward, blasting it with a wave of disruptive energy, canceling out the teleport beam. "Ha! Now we can have a nice little chat without disruption-" But his words were hardly out of his mouth before he heard a high-pitched beeping noise. Looking down between the seats he found explosives. _By Rassilon's Rage! _"Everybody out!" he screamed as he unhinged her seat belt with his sonic screwdriver. Rose flew forward to help hoist the woman out, leading her away. An explosive blast of heat and shards of glass rushed past them after they narrowly dodged behind the corner. Dust settled, falling upon them like snow.

A moment of silence rang in his ears before sound pounded painfully in his ears. "Everyone alright? _Rose?_" he called, working onto his knees. He turned to find her stirring beside him. At first his heart seized as her body shook beneath his hands, her face out of view. Rolling her over he found her heaving in laughter. His eyes swept over her thoroughly, checking for any sign of injury as he helped her to her feet.

Her laughs continued to fill his now sensitive ears. "Oh- that.. that never get old!" she hollered, tears of laughter welling at her eyes.

Relieved, he brushed a piece of debris from her hair with a snicker. Oh his indomitable Rose. "Nothing like a good bit of danger to start the day, eh? I was starting to wonder if I had lost my knack for trouble. That maybe you had tamed me, Rose Tyler. _Domesticated _me."

"Oh not you. _Never_," she said with a sly glint in her eye, her tongue between her white teeth contrasting against the grime upon her face. Even in her state she still managed to take his breath away.

But the moment was soon broken. Rose swiftly knelt, surveying the woman sitting on the pavement beside her with concern. "Are you okay?" An unsettling detached facial expression upon the disheveled young woman's face told Rose all she needed to know. She traded a knowing look with the Doctor. It seemed she too had been compromised like Gareth Evans had been.

He turned to take in the damage. Before them laid the remains of the two vehicles, reduced to smoldering scrap. _Well, so much for my car,_ he thought to himself ruefully.

With a sigh Rose pulled out her com as the Doctor pulled the woman up to her feet. "Dad, we found her but... there was an explosion. We're gonna need a ride back."

Back at Torchwood Nurse Wilkins sat emotionless in the interrogation room as Rose, Pete, and Jake stood behind the other end of the see-through mirror in observation.

The Doctor stepped into the gray barren room, the light from above shining down on the bedraggled woman in front of him.

"Hello there, Ms. Rawlins," he voiced unassumingly, strolling forward. "Busy day, eh? Went for a bit of a road trip did you?"

She didn't respond. He absently looked around the room before causally shrugging off his dusty but thankfully otherwise unharmed trench coat and draped it across a chair.

"Where were you off to then? Hm?"

Her face remained blank, her eyes never moving. Taking a seat, he put his glasses on to better observe her face to face. He waved his hand in front of her. Nothing. She didn't so much as move an inch, her gaze still staring forward, not quite meeting his.

"Hello in there! Anybody home?"

Silence.

"Hm..." pursing his lips in thought he grabbed his sonic and did a quick scan. "Well, you seem to be functioning normally, and yet..." He snapped in front of her eyes. They didn't even blink. "Either you are a master at not blinking or you are not entirely here," he said inquisitively.

"Nurse Wilkins, if you can hear me, I'm going to need to look into your mind. It's okay, I'm not going to hurt you," with that he lifted his hands and gently placed them on her temples and closed his eyes.

Images began flashing through his mind in reverse: an explosion, gluing the tack on his drawer, sitting in a dark room tinkering with the tiny device, a bright flash of light...

Without warning she let out a gasp. Startled, he broke the connection.

"Wh-where am I?" she asked alarmed. "W-what are you doing?"

"I'm the Doctor," he said worry evident in his words. "Are you feeling okay?"

"I-I don't know. I feel... confused," she admitted truthfully. "I'm in the interrogation room, why?" she asked puzzled.

"You were being controlled. Do you remember anything?"

Frightened, she looked around the room before gulping and answering. "I remember a light, and then I was doing things... doing things I couldn't control. I... I put that tack on that desk drawer... but _why_? Why did I do that?"

"Did you erase any footage from the archives?" he asked pointedly.

She thought for a moment trying to recall. "No," she finally spoke shaking her head as she ran her hand through her tangled dark brown hair in what he could only assume was a default nervous response for this woman. "I was supposed to go to tenth street. Someone was waiting for me there but I don't remember who."

Jake stirred just behind the glass. "I should go make sure nothing's going on. I'm going to go monitor the signals in case we get something," he said to Rose before dashing out of the room.

"Is there anything else, anything at all?" the Doctor asked the women.

"No, that's all I remember."

He nodded extending his hand. "Thank you for your cooperation. You should get some rest... you've had a rough day. And... stay away from tenth street, if you would."

She nodded uneasily as she shook his hand.

"Well that didn't get us anywhere," Pete said frustrated when the Doctor returned to the observation room a moment later. "She's a dead end."

"Not necessarily. At least we know she wasn't retconned if she still had her memories," offered Rose.

"Retconned?" the Doctor asked her curiously.

"It's a substance we use to induce memory lapse to keep people from remembering things they were not meant to see," Pete explained.

"_What_?!" This was definitely not a policy he had known about nor was it one he could approve of. "And that's okay with you, is it?" he asked Rose sharply.

"Well, we can't cause a panic! We have to keep the peace..."

"But what about all stuff about the people's republic taking control? And what if I had zapped your memory of me after all the things _you _saw the day I met you?! Would that have been fair?"

"That's different..."

He eyed her pointedly.

"Look I don't like it either, okay?" she pushed back.

Pete cut in. "Doctor, I'd be happy to help you file a complaint later but right now we have more important things to attend to. Now what do we know?"

The Doctor eyed Pete appraisingly before he spun around and began pacing. "Well, we know someone _is _routinely using hypnosis on the employees to get around," he said with more emphasis toward the direction in which Jake had left than was necessary. "We also know her memories were in tact- she just wasn't in control of her actions. But it still doesn't make sense," he said circling on the spot. "As much as I hate to admit it, Jake was right. They should be able to easily shrug off the effects of your run-of-the-mill hypnotic device. What makes this one so special?"

"So it could have been one of Hartman's _own_ team members who hacked into the system under hypnosis. Nothing would have looked out of the ordinary because whoever did it was meant to be there," Rose conjectured.

"Could be, although these people are rather obviously not themselves once they've been taken over. They couldn't keep up the ruse indefinitely. It's like they've been zombified, acting out orders without being all there in the head," he said with a tap to his temple. "I doubt anyone could go on working like that after they had been compromised without anyone noticing. If had to guess, they are compromised, given orders, then abducted once they are of no further use. Keeps us from tracking them down. Keeps us running in circles, never finding the real culprit." Suddenly he stopped with a squeak of his trainers. "You were right," he asserted twirling to face her. "Us finding that surveillance footage was too easy. This was staged. But _why_?" He rubbed his hands through his long bangs. "Something tells me we need to get to tenth street."

She nodded in agreement. "I'm going to check if Jake found anything. I'll be right back," Rose declared before hurrying out of the room.

Pete turned to the Doctor. "Whatever this is, it obviously has some interest in you. _Do_ be careful, Doctor. And, you should know, congress has been pressuring us about the data breech. By Presidential order any non-native life form's travel rights are henceforth restricted until things cool over." He gave him a warning look but didn't say anything else. He didn't need to. The Doctor nodded. "And... watch out for my daughter."

"Always," he said with a lopsided smile.

Jake was standing over his computer monitor watching when Rose quickly approached behind him. "Did you get any signals?" she asked.

He sighed as she came to stand next to him. "No, whatever was going to happen, I think we interrupted it."

"Oof," Rose exhaled clearly irked. God she wanted to rip out her hair sometimes! This mission was _really_ starting to get under her skin.

"Hey, chin up remember? We'll figure with one out, you and me. We always do," he said nudging her face up slightly.

She smiled. "Yeah, I reckon you're right. It's just so frustrating. These peoples lives are on the line. This is taking too long. It's like someone is just one step ahead of us the whole way. And what if these people out there are hurt?" Once more her smile faltered unable to stave off the worry overtaking her expression.

"Look I know this case has been going on forever, but we'll get a break soon enough. Hang in there, will ya?"

With that he pulled her into a tight hug, tucking her head under his chin as she sighed. He was right of course. He was always right when it came to things like this. He lightly kissed the top of her hair comfortingly.

The Doctor had nearly walked into the atrium but stopped short after spotting them. Instead he hung back, just inside the corridor, watching the scene before him with hushed calm.

Rose pulled away after discovering him lurking in the hall. "There you are! We've got nothing on this end but we'll want to head out right away just to check." She jogged forward to meet him but he didn't move, a peculiar look upon his face. "Doctor?"

He acknowledged her with a curt nod clearing his throat. "Yeah, we'll just take your car then, shall we? Is Jake coming?" he asked in a tight voice eying him from across the atrium.

"Uh, no, no he's gonna stay and check to warn us in case something pops up." She studied the lines on his face but didn't press him. "Well let's head out then."

He was silent as they walked side by side toward her car, his hands stuffed into his trench coat. The silence remained as she drove along the London streets, the fading sun splattering fiery colors across the sky. Quite out of the ordinary for this hybrid Time-Lord with a gob the size of the moon.

"You're awfully quiet," she remarked, glancing his way. "Care to tell me what's on your mind?"

Squirming in his seat, he sniffed but didn't take his eyes off the window. "Oh, just admiring the view," he lied. Ironically the only view he could concentrate was of the image of her in Jake's arms.

Somehow she wasn't convinced. He didn't say more as they exited, walking into the deserted alleyway. "Well, no cameras. That's to be expected," she noted as she examined the brick buildings on either side.

His movements were rough as he jabbed his sonic into the air looking for readings. Try as he may to focus on the task at hand he couldn't help but feel a bit jealous that Jake was allowed to hold her like that and yet _he_ was not. Could it be that she wanted a relationship with Jake and not him? Is that why she wanted him to keep Adeola's number?

She watched him work, a noticeably growing scowl upon his face as she strolled behind him. "Doctor, what's wrong, really?"

He didn't stop. "Hm? Why should anything be wrong?" he asked, the pitch of his voice raising.

"Just stop it," she snapped, halting and folding her arms. "Drop the act. Be honest with me."

He lowered his screwdriver and and inhaled deeply before turning his sullen face her way. Try as he may, he couldn't find any suitable words, or perhaps he didn't want to admit just how much he was bothered by all of this.

"If this is about Jake hugging me, you should know he's just a friend. He didn't mean anything by it, okay?"

He glanced disbelievingly her way as his sonic flickered out.

"Look, what's your deal? Don't worry about it!" she said frustratedly, her arms falling to her sides.

"Me? Worried? Not 'tall," he said slapping the side of his screwdriver before the light popped back on.

"He's _just_ a friend," she stressed.

He let out a dry laugh. "_Right._ Well you might want to tell him that. He kissed you," he said with a thin smile that didn't quite reach his eyes.

A surge of anger shot through her. "_You_ can talk! That's _so_ hypocritical." She shook her head, looking off to the side.

"Rose, I didn't ask for her number you know."

Her eyes narrowed. "That's not what this is about."

"I threw it away. I'm not interested in her, not in the least."

"Oh yes, _well..._ I suppose throwing the paper away would be more of a symbolic gesture, seeing as you have a_ photographic memory_."

"Then what are you on about?" he countered crossly.

She eyed him warningly. "Oh trust me, you don't want to open that can of worms."

"Well maybe I do."

"Alright, _fine _mister 'jump in with two feet and go around kissing complete strangers'."

"_What_?"

"Back when we took Adam to the year 200,000. You went off on how when visiting Paris you've got to throw yourself in, get charged double, and _kiss _complete strangers. Ring a bell? I always thought you were being figurative, but you weren't, were you?"

"I _was_ being figurative," he countered, confused.

She eyed him dangerously.

Then it clicked. "_Oh_..."_ Reinette._

"My good mate gives me a pick-me-up gesture of friendship and you're off sullying about it while you have the _gall_ to go off and do _that?_"

He flinched. Reinette had not been something they had ever discussed. His mind flickered back to the moment he saw Reinette as a grown woman for the first time. To call her beautiful didn't seem to do her justice but it wasn't until she had shared his mind that he truly became fascinated by this woman from pre-revolutionary France. In an instant she knew him better than anyone in the whole universe yet still managed to love him. Did he love her? No, at least not to the extent that he loved Rose. Maybe if they had had more time together... Did he want her? Yes. Yes he did. He'd be lying to say otherwise. But it wasn't out of a desire to pursue her that he jumped threw that window. It was to save her, to save _all_ of them trapped in that ballroom from the clockwork droids. Such important historical figures were not meant to die that day. If he hadn't acted it could have resulted in a terrible paradox and altered the course of history. But then Reinette, _dear _Reinette, showed him the way home, sacrificing her love for him to get him back. For that he would be forever grateful because home was where ever Rose was. She sent him back to _her_.

"_She_ kissed me."

"And _he_ kissed back?" she asked, holding her breath, her fragile heart dangling precariously.

He swallowed. "Nothing else happened." Not that he didn't consider it when she offered, as she _had _after they had danced, but that was not why he was there.

"Riiight, and when he got back from that party, drunk after leaving me strapped to a table for five hours..." she said bitterly, the pitch her voice raising.

"Rose-"

"And he left me stranded on that god-forsaken ship with the thinking he would never see me again... How easily that decision came to him. I mean why _wouldn't_ he want to spend his life with a gorgeous intelligent woman of the royal court versus a _stupid ape _like me..."

"_Rose_!"

"And then when he miraculously got back he wanted to take her with us as his new _companion_..." She threw her hands up as she started to reach a frenzy. "He never did see what was right in front of-"

"Rose, he loved _you_!" he cried out, struggling to make her understand.

"_Not enough_!" she shouted vehemently, her heart shattering against the hard truth.

He recoiled. Silence sliced the air between them.

Shock and hurt hit him as surely as if he had been slapped. He choked on a reply, his mouth hanging open. There was nothing in the _multiverse_ he loved more than this woman. How could she say such a thing?

The edges of her eyes softened ever so slightly as her eyes began to moisten, anger finally releasing it's steely grip. She shut her eyes tightly, squeezing a cascade of mascara stained tears down her broken face. "He left me," she whispered hoarsely. "He promised but... _he left_."

"But I'm _right here_," he said quietly.

"But _he's_ gone," she affirmed, opening her eyes.

He was crushed. She still couldn't see.

She shook her head with a sad laugh and wiped the water from her face. "Look, I know it's not fair to be so angry. I wanted him to be happy, even if it wasn't with me. I still do. And in the end my actions on that beach didn't help matters. I promised _him_ forever and then kissed someone else right in front of him." She gazed off to the side, her voice raspy. "I feel terrible about that. I'll live with that mistake for the rest of my life."

He swallowed hard. Hurt was not an adequate word for the feeling churning within at hearing that the most amazing moment of his existence shared with someone he loved more that time itself had been a mistake. He looked off to the side as he sniffed, hoping the fading sunlight was enough to hide his devastation.

"I guess it doesn't matter now, that door is closed. He shut it for me." She bit her lip, letting her hand fall to her side with a slap. The urge to cry had ceased, replaced instead by the all too familiar sorrow of resignation.

Amid the hurt he gathered his thoughts to speak, desperate to make her understand. "But don't you see? He _opened_ a door for you, with a part of him that could give you so much more than he _ever_ could," he said earnestly. And that's what he was, he was an open door waiting for her, longing for her, _needing_ her.

She saw the sadness in his face for the first time. He was torn, his wet eyes open and vulnerable, hiding no longer. It was a rare sight and it unnerved her. She felt a stab of pity for this man.

Frustration tugged at him at her stubborn silence, growing until he could stand it no longer. "You accuse him of not seeing what was right in front of him, but then you, _you_...!" His hands jabbed the air as he twirled on the spot. He exhaled slowly, facing the opposite wall.

She knew what he was getting at. It was obvious he still wanted a relationship with her but she just couldn't take that next step, not yet. It still hurt. _So_ much. Because loving the Doctor was like playing with fire. He was brilliant and all-encompassing and everything she could ever want, but in reaching out she knew she was risking getting burned and she had. And there were some things that not even Rose Tyler could endure a second time. No matter what her heart wanted.

"Look, I know it's not right to direct my anger at you..." she began.

"No, no it's okay. I suppose it's nothing less than I deserve," he spoke to the ground. "Because I am him, Rose." He spun to face her, taking a step forward. "I _am_." She had to know the truth. He had to make her see.

She shook her head at the man so open and so opposite from the one she knew. "But you're not! Look at you!"

He scoffed, his brows furrowed in hurt.

"I mean, yes, you're _like_ him in a lot of ways but look at your life. Donna _changed_ you. You sound like her, even your mannerisms are different. A flat, a car, a _job_? That's not him. He would never give up the stars. Not for me. Not for anyone."

"But _Rose_..."

"Tell me I'm wrong!" she challenged taking a step forward. "You know him better than anyone in the universe. Could he have thrown it all away and taken the slow path with me here? Could he have ever left the TARDIS behind voluntarily?"

His mouth hung open, speechless.

She nodded. No of course not. And that's why she had never expected as much. Because that was who he was. And she loved him for who he was, even if it meant _she_ had to make the sacrifices.

"I..." he began, but the words wouldn't come. She was right. He wouldn't, couldn't have done that. Was she right about Donna too? He was already prone to outbursts of Donna's saucy colloquialisms, had she affected his personality in deeper ways? But he didn't _feel_ different. He felt just like he always had. And when something Donna-esque came tumbling from his mouth he could recognize it immediately and it was usually accompanied by a healthy dose of embarrassment. But then Donna _had_ always been more sensitive to affairs of the heart. How on earth was he supposed to know if his feelings were really _his_ or not? Blimey.

Because Donna didn't love Rose, he decided after a moment. _He_ did. The Doctor did and he _was_ the Doctor.

He took a step forward. "Donna didn't take the stars from my eyes, Rose. I just found something worth _more_ than the stars. The stars are in my very soul. You think it doesn't hurt to look up every night?! Because it does. But when I look at you, it's worth it. _So _worth it."

"How can you say that?" she asked quietly.

"_Why_ can't you believe me?" he countered angrily.

She shook her head. "Because I knew the Doctor and-"

"Then you don't know me as well as you think you do," he said briskly.

She bit her lip. This wasn't going anywhere. She let out a long sigh. Things were only likely to get worse if they kept this up. "Look, it's getting dark. We should get back," she said sniffing and stuffing her cold hands into her jacket pockets. "There's nothing here. Let's go."

Though she didn't mean it that way, the subtle irony of her words took on a new context. It dealt him another silent blow as he dropped his head. "Yeah," he finally managed to utter as her footsteps scuffed the pavement signaling her departure. He dragged his feet to follow her.

The car ride back to Torchwood was once more quiet, neither of them having the courage to speak again as the last bit of remaining light gave way to the darkness. Instead, the Doctor's mind raced.

What had he done to his Rose? He had hurt her on _so_ many levels. She wasn't letting him in because she was sure he would leave her again, or throw himself at other women, or _both_. He knew that wasn't going to happen but she had only the past to guide her and what had the past shown? Of course she felt that way, and honestly was she wrong to? _No_. Satellite five, Paris, Canary Warf, and Bad Wolf bay... how could she _not_ see him as a bit flighty?

He stole a fleeting glance her way before looking back out the window as she drove, her eyes never leaving the dark road. He swallowed heavily.

Was she right? Did he not love her enough? Was it out of love and wanting what was best for her that his other self left her on that beach or did he run out of fear? Perhaps it was a bit of both.

As a Time Lord he couldn't let himself get any closer to Rose not because he didn't want to be with her in that way, but because he _did_, very much so. Such feelings where dangerous. They broke his rule of never getting that close to a companion. He was scared of acting on on his feelings because it wasn't fair to her, a human, to be forced to live a wandering life with the likes of him, an old man with far too many battle scars. He couldn't give her up yet neither could he bring himself to take her so he did the selfish thing: he kept her in limbo for as long as he could.

In the end it made no difference whatsoever that he had kept her away. After she was lost he still felt immeasurable pain. But it was worse than that. He was then wracked with a new type of pain, the pain of regret. It was the pain of knowing that she would die never knowing how he deeply he felt for her. It was the pain of having never touched her, having never loved her.

Jealousy gripped him at the injustice of it all. He finally got a chance to be with her, but now this. How was it that his past self was good enough to love but_ he_ wasn't? His past self in her eyes was off snogging strangers never stopping, never looking back (though perhaps there was some truth to that assessment he'd admit), and yet she was willing to drop her family, her life, _everything _to go sailing off with him faults and all. Then here he was, willing to stay put, willing to commit to her, giving up everything just to be with her and yet he _still_ wasn't enough. Because apparently he wasn't the Doctor anymore. Not to her.

The familiar sight of his flat came into focus as they neared the street light in front of the complex. "I'll see tomorrow morning. I'll pick you up, yeah?" she spoke his direction without looking his way as she parked.

"Yeah," he muttered dryly as he slammed the car door. Once inside, his head fell against the door with a resigned thud.

Maybe she was right, about him. He was different, as much as he hated to admit as such. He wasn't off saving the day anymore. He wasn't making a difference. He was unimportant, and average, and... _boring_. Maybe he really had lost a part of himself.

If only he could show her what he was capable of! If he could give her adventure and heroics again maybe things would be like they used to. Maybe he could prove to her he really _was_ the Doctor. Or maybe he had done enough damage. Maybe he should respect _her_ choice for once. Hadn't he made enough decisions for her already?

He struck the wood on either side of his head with clenched fists, his forehead still glued to the door. It was selfish of him to push for a relationship when she had told him she couldn't offer him more. And if she said there was nothing between her and Jake then he would have to trust her. And even if there were, as much as it pained him, it was _her_ choice.

But he could always hope. That's all he had left now in this wretched world- hope for brighter days ahead. He would be there waiting for her if she ever changed her mind. He had to hope that she would.


	18. Chapter 18

**So I'm not very good at waiting to post these chapters. I'm just _itching_ to get them out there. This chapter was originally quite long and in the interest of the story I have cut it in half. I'll post the other half this weekend. From here on out it gets rather suspenseful. As always reviews are love!**

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**Chapter 18**

Rose tossed and turned, groaning at the onslaught of images and vivid sensations assaulting her mind as she slept: cold, pounding, salted air. A man in blue stood at the door of an impossible blue box. He apologized, apologized profusely for failing to convince the man in brown to stay, a man currently twirling busily around the console behind them without so much a glance her way. The man in blue's eyes were wet and sad and she found her heart aching for him. Placing a hand on his chest she discovered that the pounding was _not_ in her head but rather the beating of his singular heart, a heart which he professed only beat for her. But then he was bidding her farewell and telling her how sorry he was for not being enough and wishing her a fantastic life...

"_No, no you can't leave me!"_

"_But you don't want me, 'cos I'm Donna, not the Doctor."_

"_No! No! I do! I do want you to stay, please! I want you!"_

But the sad man kissed the top of her hair and before she could stop him the TARDIS door was slamming in her face. She banged on it fervently, crying for him with all her might to no avail. Then, with terrifying finality, the sound of the TARDIS echoed loudly in her head, growing louder and louder until she awoke with a start.

Ah, nightmares. The company of her new new new Doctor had done her a world of good in easing the pain of separation from her last Doctor, offering her a momentary reprieve from the nightmares that had plagued her for six years. It would appear they were back with a vengeance only the focus of her dreams had now shifted. She rolled over with a groan, burying her face in her pillow, twisting her covers in her legs as she struggled to find a more comfortable position.

Ironically enough, facing her nightmares had never really been about coming to terms with her subconscious fears. Instead her disturbing dreams had been quite grounded in reality: banging furiously against a white wall, seeing the Doctor's ghost disappear on a windswept beach, running through dark alleys hearing his voice around the corner only to see a fading TARDIS; these were all very real events in her life. It struck her as odd that she now was reading a deeper meaning in her night terrors, deeper than she had ever entertained before.

She knew what she would say to her Doctor right now, and '_I want you' _would not be the words she would pick. How tactful was that? Of course, dreams often resulted in acting on subconscious whims uninhibited by restraint that an otherwise conscious mind would guard against but that didn't make the words any less true. And she knew it.

But if she _were_ to speak to him right now, the first words out of her mouth would be an apology. She had yelled at him and he had done nothing wrong, nothing at all. Had she done irreversible damage to their relationship? Would he find being close friends without taking that next step too awkward with such an underlying constant tension in the air between them? The tension of him reaching out and her withdrawing inwardly? He had no doubt been giving her a wide berth, hoping for them to find some normalcy. It wouldn't take much longer for him to realize that there were some things about the girl he once knew that were now fundamentally different, things that were never going to be simple again. How long would he put up with her antics- her unresolved frustration aimed at him over another man that happened to look just like him?

What would she do if he packed up and left? _Hm?_ Or strapped on that vortex manipulator and went to visit the stars without her? There would be no more drinking a cuppa on his couch while he curled at the other end happily regaling tales about his previous lives and adventures. There would be no more chips and milkshakes for lunch as he so often insisted upon now. There would be no more running off to see the latest play, or late night star gazing, or watching reruns on telly with a huge bowl of sonicked popcorn. She had to make things right again. The past was the past, and that's where it should stay. And what they had in the present was more valuable than anything else.

It wasn't long before she was knocking nervously at his doorstep in the crisp morning air. He didn't answer right away and for one fleeting moment she wondered if he hadn't darted off with the vortex manipulator but just then the door swung open. There he was, ready for work in his blue suit and red tie but looking worse for wear nonetheless. His eyes were suspiciously sunken, his hair out of sorts. She threw herself at him, hugging him tightly.

"'M sorry," her muffled voice sounded from his shoulder. "Let's just let the past be the past. Can we forget last night even happened? I just want things to go back to the way they were."

It may not be a hug under the best of circumstances but he would take it. He brought his arms tightly around her, committing the sensation of his hands along her back to memory, inhaling the scent of her hair like a starving man. "Of course," he muttered in relief.

She pecked his cheek and pulled him closer. "You are my best friend, you know that right?"

He nodded, holding her closer still. "Yep, and you are mine." _And so much more._ Equal parts happy and hurt ballooned within him. It would seem hugs and kisses really were but tokens of friendship to Rose Tyler. But now it was his turn to apologize.

"Rose, I know I've been a dolt about things but you should know I never wanted to be parted from you, not in Paris, Satellite 5, not ever. Every one of those times did not come lightly. You are... everything to me. To _us_," he corrected. She stirred to speak, her face twisted in a look poised for retort, but he pressed a finger against her lips. "Please let me finish." She fell silent. "We were trying to do the selfless thing, trying to protect you. I know now that I was wrong to do what I did, and I'm sorry. I'm so _sorry_ for everything Rose." He once more pulled her into a tight embrace, swaying slightly in the door frame. He could have stood there holding her like that forever, but the moment was over too soon as she pulled away giving his arm an appreciative squeeze.

"Thanks. Let's go." She then flashed him a grin that would have been capable of melting both his Time Lord hearts had he still had them.

The air was considerably lighter as they drove, full of the usual nonsensical drivel and forgiving glances. At least until they arrived at Torchwood. It wasn't long after exiting the car that a disconcerting scene came into view. The guards at the entrance had been tripled, standing over some sort of line of people waiting to enter the facility.

"Just _what_ is going on here?" Rose noted rather than asked as they fell in stride.

An uneasy feeling settled into him as he watched the line, people and families of all ages huddled in the cold. "They're leaving," he remarked, chewing the edge of his lip in thought.

"What? Wait, do you mean...?"

He raised his sonic and for just a fraction of a second the facade was lifted. It was brief but long enough for Rose to see their true nature. They were alien refugees, various creatures and humanoids casting nervous looks and speaking in hushed tones as they shuffled forward bit by bit.

"They're going home? But... why?" she asked turning to look at him.

"Pete said the government is requiring all aliens to live on base or go home. All travel is being restricted. I expect most of them are here to hitch a ride off world."

Her stomach dropped. They exchanged knowing glances. If anyone found about him, he could be locked away as well. "This is wrong," she murmured as she watched on as each alien was patted down and scanned.

"Come on." He ushered past the line but not before throwing a passing glance at a family masked as humans, two children clutching to the hands of their parents. His heart sank. They wouldn't be going off world. He recognized them as a race who had recently lost their home world to a supernovae- at least in _his_ universe. It was likely these refugees had suffered the same fate here. Now he wondered what darker fate awaited them inside. Another unsettling thought wedged its way into his mind: what other sinister things was Torchwood capable of and how long would he turn a blind eye?

A few moments later, the wrath of one Rose Tyler was bearing down upon the Director of Torchwood Three in full force. "How could you let this happen?!" she berated Pete angrily in his office.

"Rose, I don't like this any more than you do," he said sternly from behind his desk. He bent forward, lowering his voice and looked around before speaking. "I'm counting on you to keep this from going any further. You two are my last hope, because if we don't figure this thing out it's only going to get worse. I'm doing all I can to stall but my hands are tied. Hartman has been informing Congress of what's been going on. She's scaring them. They've put pressure on Jones to imprison all of them. I'm getting as many off world as can before it comes to that."

Her mouth fell open. "How can they do this?!"

"It's democracy at work," her father sighed, his pale brows furrowing in exasperation.

"Hardly," muttered the Doctor from the far side of the room, leaning against the glass. "Secret sessions, secret votes. The 'people' have nothing to do with this. They don't even know of the existence of aliens. It's nothing more than a few scared little humans trying to hide from the monsters."

"That may be, but I don't need to remind you two of the implications of this." Pete eyed the Doctor from afar, the unspoken implications of the situation readily apparent in his weary face.

Rose twirled around to look upon him herself. The Doctor's eyes skipped between them both. He didn't speak.

"We're having peace talks with no less than nine planets after the impending legislation announcement this afternoon," Pete continued. "Two planets have declined the offer for an alliance, including Tovolli, in light of rumors saying that we've become xenophobic, making headache for all of us."

"If the shoe fits," the Doctor muttered darkly.

"And if we don't get things moving on this signals case we're going to have to upgrade security measures for the entire facility, employees included."

"Well," began Rose with renewed vigor, "we'd better get on then, eh? Work to be done, after all."

She made her way towards the door stopping just in front of it, the Doctor still perched casually against the glass just to her left. Her heart squeezed at the sight of him, fear coupled with a surge of emotion that caught her off guard. It was no use pretending she felt anything but what it was but somehow not letting herself say the word in her mind propped up the teetering falsehood. His brown eyes bore into hers, his gaze no doubt discerning her level of concern, and if she wasn't careful, something more. Without another word she broke off the moment and pushed open the door.

Rose left the Doctor to work undisturbed on his 'great big sensor' to do a bit of detective work, at least, that's what she told herself. It wasn't for any other reason. Nope. None at all. The list of people both linked to NOVAE and the Doctor was incredibly small. So small, in fact, there was only one name on that list: Adeola Oshodi.

She wasn't sure what possessed her to stand back in the shadow of the corridor overlooking the busy atrium instead of talking to her directly. It certainly wasn't her usual approach but that's what she had done.

Adeola sat at her desk with her back to Rose, her sleek black hair pulled back into an elegant bun, her usual skirt traded in for black slacks more suited for tactical missions though paired with a silk lavender blouse she was as lovely and enviable as ever. Judging by the one-sided conversation she was having as she pressed her delicate fingers against her earpiece it appeared she was on the phone with someone. Rose strained to listen above the bustling sounds of daily business as she eavesdropped.

"I told you, I _don't_ know anything more." There was a pause. "Please don't, don't say that. I'll...I'll try again alright? But yes, I do think he's alien. Just so you know, I don't like this, not at all. It's not right."

Rose's heart skipped a beat, her ears perking at the mention of the term alien. Certainly she was talking about the Doctor, and to someone of disreputable character from the sound of it.

"Yes, yes I understand. Yes ma'am." She sighed as the call ended, dropping her head into her hands.

The speed at which propelled Rose forward surprised even her. In a second she was upon the woman. "_So-_"

Startled, Adeola looked up to see Rose leering over her, her arms crossed. "Rose! I, I didn't see you there." In an instant the apples of her cheeks flushed, giving her warm dark face a pleasant glow despite her apparent discomfort.

"Who were you just talking to then?" Rose asked calmly.

Adeola sighed. "Who do you think?" Her ebony eyes fell to her desk with a look of such dismay it caused Rose to feel almost sorry for the woman. "She'll sack me for telling you, but I'm tired of playing her games. She can do what she'd like as far as I'm concerned," she mumbled, resting her head in her hands as she stared off.

"Hartman," Rose whispered.

She nodded disdainfully in confirmation.

"Tell me what she wants with the Doctor. Tell me _everything!_"

Adeola sat up slightly with the strained look of a woman who had borne the heavy burden of guilt for a while. "I've been asked to be a part of the investigation for the data breech, okay? Way back. Switching to team two was a ruse to keep up appearances. I was suppose to come down here and interact with anyone who seemed suspicious."

"You mean the Doctor?" Rose's blood ran cold.

"It was Hartman's idea. It's not like I wanted to lie to him. It was either comply or be retconned. She threatened to fire me if I didn't. And it wasn't like I was being completely deceitful giving him my number and all. I..." she looked down shamefully, her cheeks flushing even deeper.

"You fancy him," Rose stated plainly.

Her eyes snapped back up. "I think that's why she asked me to do it, because she thought I could get close without causing suspicion after he seemed to take a liking to me."

Just how _close_ had she planned on getting to get the information she was after, Rose wondered, swallowing the sour taste in her mouth. "Did she tell you to ask him out?"

"She asked me to get close to him, ask questions. Look I know you two have... _history_ and he was respectful of that when I asked him. Thought you should know that."

Her heart skipped a beat and the words were of her mouth before she could stop them. "What did he say?"

"Just that it was complicated."

Rose snorted. "That'd be a fair assessment."

"What's it mean, exactly?"

Rose bent down, her face sharp. "Nope, that's not what this is about. Adeola, I don't know what to accept as truth or what to think but one thing I do know is that the Doctor is _so_ much more than just some bloke with a handsome face and he deserves better than mind games."

"Is this the part where you tell me to stay away from him?" she asked quietly. It wasn't spoken with under currents of malice nor laced with challenge but instead sounded almost... _hopeles_s.

"He doesn't need me to fight his battles for him," Rose said simply.

"But you would, wouldn't you? You would die for him."

Her mouth fell open in surprise. She recovered before speaking hastily. "Point is, if you really have feelings for him, do right by him."

Adeola's expression turned to one of incredulity. "You mean, you... you don't mind?"

"I... want him to be happy. No one deserves to be alone." _Especially not him, _she told herself sadly. "But first you need to decide what you are going to follow: your heart or Hartman. I know you Adeola, and I know that this," she said with a point, "whatever _this is_, isn't you." With that she turned to walk away.

"Do you love him?" Adeola's voice called out.

Rose paused briefly before walking out of the atrium, leaving the question that she had been asking herself for days unanswered.


	19. Chapter 19

**And here's a little gem of a chapter. Truly fun to write. It's the rest of the last chapter I promised. Tick-tock goes the clock, Doctor. Thanks for the lovely reviews! Keep them coming! (I've responded to them all in the reviews themselves if you are curious). **

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**Chapter 19**

The Doctor scratched his ear, befuddled, standing before his nearly complete resonance scanner. It should have worked. How could it _not_ have worked? He tapped on the controls once more expectantly. Nothing.

"What?!" he squawked. He was _certainly_ capable of knocking together a fully functional multi-resonance scanner. Perturbed, the keyboard clamored as he looked for anything out of place. Again, nothing. "_What_!?" he cried more exasperated. _The nerve._ He gave the contraption a good bang with his fist. Nada.

Frustrated, he started flipping switches and checking connections. Everything was in order. Could it be that the human in him was dulling his brilliance? _Absurd. _No something was _definitely_ wrong.

He spun around looking at the maze of wires tangled on the ground. Gingerly he knelt on the linoleum floor lifting the jumble of wires up to inspect them. A flash of red caught his eye. There it was: a frayed wire. Carefully he plied away the surrounding wires and held it up more closely. That was odd. Did he step on it? No, his shoes wouldn't be capable of creating that kind of damage. Then what did this? _Hmph_. No matter. At least now he knew what was wrong.

He laid the wires upon the floor and jumped up, spinning toward the counter to retrieve a replacement. Soon he was using his sonic screwdriver to connect it once more. "Ha! _Sorted_," he exclaimed triumphantly as he hopped up and pranced merrily toward the console.

Ah, his favorite part. He pressed the rather large button (regretfully not red) with a slam of his palm waiting eagerly in anticipation._ Still nothing_. His eyes scrunched in confusion. This couldn't be. What was going on now? He fiddled around with the controls again to no avail. Okay something was _definitely _wrong.

Quite peeved, he knelt to observe the underside of the device. He shoved his hands forward to flip open the panel into the inner workings of the machine. Once again he held up his sonic, this time utilizing it as a torch as the pale blue light hovered over the components.

Suddenly he noticed it- a missing a chip. He bent forward to get a better look. Yep. It was definitely missing a part. Now more puzzled than ever he looked at the bottom wondering if it had fallen, but it was nowhere to be found.

"Something amiss?" Yvonne's voice asked suddenly.

Startled he jumped up, hitting his head on the console above him. Flustered, he straightened himself up rubbing his head, chewing a few choice words under his breath. "_Assistant Director_," he acknowledged grumpily, the right side of his head slightly throbbing.

"Doctor," she replied coldly. "Having trouble?"

He stole a look down at the scanner and sighed. "It seems to have been sabotaged."

"How inconvenient," she spoke softly.

He subconsciously ran his hands over the re-purposed TARDIS parts that now served as the interface for the scanner. That chip was part of _her_ and he meant to get it back. "A wire was ripped and a microchip removed purposefully. Should've been working no problem. Seems somebody doesn't want us to discover what's up there. Someone on the inside. Someone with the clearance to enter this lab." Which was a select few.

"So it would seem," came her unconcerned reply.

He eyed her suspiciously. "Need something?"

She surveyed him intently, her arms folding. "Doctor who are you?"

"Come again?"

"I said _who are you_? I've spoken with President Jones directly. She said you didn't transfer from some inner agency. Not MI6, not UNIT, not anything. Only that you were monumental in defeating the Cybermen invasion."

The Doctor, pocketed his glasses and stood up straight. "I'm sorry, but that information is-"

"Classified, yes I know. But the thing is, Doctor," she stepped forward, "There's nothing above interplanetary clearance which I've got, so why don't you do me a favor and be forthcoming about _what_ you really are while you have the chance?"

"And just what do you mean by that?" he asked more serious.

"I mean, the person responsible for the defeat of the Cybermen was rumored to be an alien. So you can either tell me truth about who you are what you are doing here or I will find out by any means necessary, _Doctor_."

He didn't answer.

"No?" she pressed, brows raised. "Very well. But rest assured, I will not stand for anything or anyone getting in my way. You mess with my project, my people, you're going to get burned."

"What's it for?" he nearly whispered. "What is NOVAE _really_? Does it power something? A _weapon_ perhaps?!"

She didn't answer, just a hint of a sneer tugging at her lip. Turning, she left the room, her neatly pressed black suit coat and skirt disappearing behind the door.

Shoving his hand into his pocket, he grabbed his mobile. "Rose, meet me in lab 4c. We've got a situation."

"Who could have known what his device was even for?" Rose grumbled a few moments later. "The only people in the know are Dad, you, me, and Jake!"

He didn't answer, instead he looked at the console, glasses once more upon nose, his face resting in this hands. He simply blinked.

"Did you, did you tell her?" Rose asked tentatively.

"Who?"

"Adeola."

His face scrunched in confusion. "Why would I tell _her_?"

"I dunno. It's just, well I heard her talking to Hartman on the phone about you."

"Really?"

"I'm sorry to have to tell you this, but she sent Adeola to buddy up to you, to win your trust and learn more about you. She's been reporting to her all this time."

"Hm," he folded his arms. He couldn't help but feel a tad betrayed. Even if he didn't think there could be anything between the two of them he had at least hoped that someone he had such respect for would have extended at least some measure of respect to him in return.

"But I don't think she wanted to do it," she added. "She looked miserable. I think... I think she really does have feelings for you. She said she was threatened by Yvonne- threatened with retconn."

"She probably felt she had no choice." His bitterness ebbed. "Dreadful stuff, that retconn is. And, Hartman is dreadful as well come to think of it. Suppose that's why she's so fond of it."

"It's got to be her then," she whispered. "_Hartman_. Who else could it be?"

His eyes drifted up to hers. "Maybe. I don't know," he said shaking his head slightly. "But we can try surveillance again. Although I don't think it will help. We've been stymied in that regard every time."

She exhaled. "Well it's worth a look I suppose."

Lazily, he brought up his hand to the computer monitor in front of him and stabbed at a button. The surveillance footage popped up. He fast forwarded it until it suddenly went blank. With a sigh he stopped the tape. "It's been removed," he said woefully, weighed down by the frustration of it all.

"Are you okay?" Rose inquired, her head cocked to side appraising him. Maybe he was more affected by the news concerning Adeola than she expected.

He straightened himself swiveling his chair her way as he clapped his hands upon his knees. "Yep," he sniffed. "But I don't know where to go from here. If Hartman is behind this then she is well connected and she has authority to order whatever counter methods she wishes. She could be one step ahead of us the whole way."

Rose fidgeted. "Whatever is going on, I think we need to keep things between just you and me for now, kay?"

He nodded. "Perfectly sensible." _And preferable..._ he added silently.

Suddenly the intercom above them sounded. "Attention all staff. You will report at 8 AM tomorrow morning in the atrium for DNA sampling and registration as per the new security guidelines issued by congressional order. Thank you for your cooperation."

They exchanged worried glances. "This is bad," she said, her stomach clenching.

"_Really_ bad," he affirmed. "_Although_..." he stood up abruptly, his trainers scuffing the floor with a loud squeak, his mind putting together the pieces.

"What?" she asked him at that ever familiar look upon his face- the look of sudden realization.

"It means, it's not Hartman."

"_What_?!"

He twirled around facing her drawing his hands up expressively. "Think! The tack, remember the tack, Rose?" he asked quickly.

"Yeah, but... _wait_," she said her own face dawning in realization. "Whoever is doing this already _has_ your DNA on file... she wouldn't need to do this if it were really _her _behind all of this."

His eyebrows lifted in confirmation, a slight smile on his face. "Right, now you're getting it. That means all this time she thought _I_ was the one behind all this. She's trying to flush me out by forcing me into the alien program. We've both been wasting time investigating each other while the real culprit has been out there causing mayhem."

He spun around once more now pacing, rubbing the back of his neck. "But that means we're still no closer to figuring out who's really behind the kidnappings. Blimey I wish they hadn't stolen that chip! I can't recreate that part quickly. It's Time Lord technology. The processor on that baby is _enormous_."

"But... what are you going to do?"

"Hm?" he questioned, his hands on the sides of his face as he stopped pacing.

"About the testing? She's going to find out..."

He dropped his hands, contemplating. "I don't know," he finally admitted. It was too bad he didn't have a chameleon arch lying about. He winced. On second thought, he wasn't sure it was worth that much pain. And where'd he put his excess consciousness? He did NOT fancy accidentally splitting himself in two again.

"You _can't_ just let them take you," she pleaded, walking towards him and grabbing his hand in hers possessively. "I won't let them." She couldn't even think about him being held prisoner or being treated like a refugee confined to Torchwood Three indefinitely.

Surprised at the sudden gesture, a rush of affection settled in him. And now she was looking at him with those round doe eyes and _blimey_ his pulse was accelerating without his permission. He tenderly brushed the back of her hand with his thumb and his heart nearly leaped when she responded with just a hint of a smile. It was funny that something so basic and simple as a hand hold could affect him so, but it was the first time she had held his hand since... well since he'd found her again (if one didn't count that first failed attempt at the chip shop which he didn't). It felt _so_ right, her hand in his, just like old times. It was nearly enough for him to forget what she had just said, and it wasn't until her eyes asked for a response that he had to mentally replay her question in his mind. _Ah that's right, prisoner, Torchwood. Bad. _"We've got to replace that chip before it comes to that," he replied with what he hoped was a reassuring smile.

"And I'll talk to dad. Maybe he can figure a way around this nonsense."

He nodded but he had little confidence that Pete could have more sway than the president herself. If Hartman was determined to oust him as an alien then there was little he could do to dissuade her. If he was going to get out of this one he would have to work fast.


	20. Chapter 20

**Cut this chapter in half as well. Write a review and I'll post the next chapter early! ;)**

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**Chapter 20 **

Time was up.

But that didn't stop him. It never had. Perhaps considering himself still very much a Time Lord had made him inclined to push his luck, luck that a part-human simply didn't have in the same quantities.

The morning was somber as he left for work the next day. A frozen rain relentlessly pelted the windows of his newly replaced car. He fully expected a lecture from Rose for showing up. It was, after all, the day all Torchwood staff were to assemble for registration and all remaining aliens to be imprisoned, or as they had delicately put it, 'relocated for their safety'. As if anyone would believe such a lie.

He had worked late into the night the night before to finish the chip but to no avail. He was forced to leave at 11PM, thanks to a new Torchwood curfew policy started after the latest security breech. At least he was within hours of having the scanner functional. That chip had been a monster to replace so far but luckily for them he was still a genius. Thank goodness the meta-crisis hadn't changed that. Still, he had cause for concern. Though he was closer to human he wasn't close enough to fool a DNA test. And the fact remained that he had work yet to do, work _only_ he could do. He had to go in.

_Don't come, not safe._

That's all it said, the text message from Rose he received earlier. While he understood her concern, he had to end this while he could. The best he could do would be to keep his head down and rely on his human appearance and wit to get him by. It had never failed him in the past. _Well_... perhaps that was debatable. But would that be enough this time? If he agreed to a DNA sample then the jig would be up but he had no plans to comply. It wouldn't be the first time he skirted protocol, nor he imagined, would it be the last.

He arrived to find several agents lined up in the atrium which had been rearranged in the night to accommodate the crowd. It was a dismal sight reminiscent of days long past and distant future he'd rather forget, memories tucked away because they displayed very darkest of human nature. Actions wrought of fear were scary things indeed.

Several of the medical staff were taking swabs of people's cheeks and taking fingerprints. In the back stood another line, the remaining aliens now visible for what they were, being forced forward by armed guards into providing bio samples of their own. He watched on in horror as staff implanted chips into their wrists with a syringe and fitted them with immobilizer anklets to various appendages, so named because they would shock the wearer if taken out of the facility. _Despicable._

Among the sea of employees he spotted a glint of gold silken hair and spikes. Rose and Jake were standing in the back of the line, Rose looking positively ragged with worry in her signature purple top and blue leather jacket. She obviously wasn't expecting him judging by the blanching of her uncharacteristically pale face upon spotting him across the way. Visibly flustered, and now sporting a face of a different color, she trotted over to him and to his surprise rather roughly pulled him back into the hallway. _Oh bother, here it comes._

"What the hell are you doing here? Didn't you get my text?!" she barked.

She supposed she shouldn't be that surprised he completely ignored her but she was upset nonetheless. He was like the Doctor in so many ways and it appeared he inherited a healthy dose of his _do-whatever-the-hell-I-want even-when-my-life-is-in-danger_ attitude. While his Time Lord counterpart frequently pushed his luck and escaped unscathed, she was hardly willing to let her new Doctor test just how much his human nature dampened his own luck. He was mortal now and suddenly his one life to live seemed so very fragile to her. Possibly because she felt obligated to look out for him, though in the back of her mind she suspected it was because of something more. At any rate, she knew that to a man like the Doctor there were some fates worse than death; indefinite imprisonment being one of them.

"Rose, we've got to finish this," he asserted, cutting her off before she could even start. "I'm only half a day's work away from being done with the replacement chip."

She exhaled, looking off to the side and yanking the hair on both sides of her head in aggravation. "Oof, can't you just-"

"If I hurry, we can find the ship by midday," he hurriedly contended.

"What if that's not enough to get you off the hook? What then? What if they find out?"

He didn't have an answer for her. It was a risk; there was no denying it.

"No," she finally said shaking her head adamantly and pushing him toward the other direction. "You're leaving. Pack a bag and get out of town!" She wouldn't stand for this. She would _not_ let him get carted away like a prisoner.

In one fluid movement he had flipped around, catching her hands in his much to her surprise. "Rose, I can either work to end this now, or I can run forever and leave behind this mess. Which do you prefer?" he asked sarcastically.

She swallowed angrily, her hands still in his. "Do you think I want you to have to go on the run?! Do you think I _want_ to give up the only thing good in my life? I can stay here to work to get this resolved but you've _got_ to leave."

He couldn't stop his thumbs from brushing the backs of her hands at her admission. "But we're _so close_..." he stressed, dropping her hands and balling his fists.

"We _can't_ take that risk!"

"_We have to!_" he snapped, his eyes now sharp. His sudden outburst took her off guard and she stood, blinking. His jaw tensed before he spoke again but his eyes relaxed ever so slightly. "Because I told you, Rose Tyler, I'm _not_ leaving you. Not ever. If you want me to go, then it's both of us or neither of us."

The unspoken meaning woven into his words settled into her, softening her rigid stance. She scrutinized him, searching for any subtle hint of doubt but his expression did not falter.

He was serious.

Her tummy flipped, a warmth steadily growing inside. "So that's it then?" she asked quietly.

"Yep," he said simply, popping the "p".

She bit her lip. "Who's gonna figure this out if we go?"

His reply was hushed as his dark brow lifted. "Exactly."

Anger had morphed into uneasiness which did nothing to sooth her stomach as she began pacing. "Look you've got to be careful. Don't let anyone see you. I can tell them you weren't feeling good today or something. When we're done in line I'll erase any footage of you setting foot in here. And then when this is over..."

A sudden realization hit her: he would still have to leave. Torchwood was relentless in tracking down suspected rogue alien threats- she knew firsthand. She had headed many a mission doing just that in the past. He would never be safe here. In an instant both their comfortable lives had changed. Things were never going to be the way they were before. She needed to keep him safe and safe meant out of the UK entirely, out of the jurisdiction of Torchwood. And if he would only go _with_ her, then she knew what he was implying.

He could see the cogs turning in her head. His anticipation for the remainder of her sentence heightened as he waited but it was not her voice that sounded next.

"Rose!" Jake called out from around the corner. "Rose it's our turn."

Ever so slightly her head angled toward the atrium to her right, but her eyes never left his. "Be careful," she told him. Then, her face morphed into an indiscernible expression and was gone.

* * *

"Where is he?" Hartman demanded of Rose and Jake upon seeing a suspicious lack of Doctor in the queue. Arms folded and chin in the air, Yvonne stood before them with a premature air of victory embedded on her face, possibly due to the menacing entourage of armored guards behind her. The sight was enough to stir up both panic and spite within Rose. Seeing her expression, Jake placed a warning hand upon her shoulder. "He's not here," she replied simply.

"I can see that. Where's he gone?"

"Dunno. I'm not his mother," she answered wryly, standing from the table after finishing her swab. "Could be sick or something."

"If he's not here, then rest assured, there's nowhere on this earth he can hide from us," she warned inching closer.

"Why would he need to hide?" Rose countered indignantly.

For a moment, the woman simply blinked. She then spoke to the men behind her though her eyes didn't deviate from Rose, "Find him." Immediately, the men dispersed.

Rose struggled to keep her face complacent as Yvonne slowly turned, cutting off her piercing gaze before finally leaving. "God I hope he's nearly done because if he's not..." she whispered.

Jake rubbed her arm. "Don't worry, boss. He can take care of himself."

"I hope you're right, Jake. I hope you're right."


	21. Chapter 21

**Thanks for all the reviews. As promised, here is the early chapter. If anyone has any input on how to improve the writing I would very much appreciate it. And if you are wondering where all the illustrations are, I have three towards the end of the piece that I am working on (one finished, one in progress). Waiting to post them until I publish the corresponding chapters. ;)  
**

* * *

**Chapter 21**

_Tap. Tap. Tap._

The Doctor had been working in the lab for precisely twenty-three minutes and fourteen seconds when he heard the first knock at the door. Fortunately for him, he had enough foresight the night before to set up bio-metric shielding on the door to refuse access to anyone but himself. It was this shielding that he was now counting on to buy him some time as he carefully tinkered with the chip now balanced expertly on his palm.

_Bang! Bang! Bang!_

Startled, he nearly dropped his work, cursing as he reset his glasses higher upon his nose. That ever familiar partner in crime, adrenaline, began pumping through him, sending his body on high alert. _Focuses the mind_, he quipped internally as he skillfully handled the tiny chip, sonic between his teeth. Unfortunately, with his sensor not yet functioning he had no way of knowing if it was Rose on the other side or the guards come to take him away. Against the backdrop of persistent and rather _annoying_ sound barraging his ears, he patiently waited for her call.

It never came.

If it were her, she would have called to tell him so. If she hadn't called yet, it meant she couldn't for whatever reason _or_ she wanted to give him space to work. Either way, he had to assume the worst; they had come for him.

Several curious sounds now echoed from beyond the door: a loud clanking followed by a high pitched scraping. "Blimey, can't a guy get some work done around here?" he mumbled, wincing from the unpleasant frequencies just beyond the entrance as his sonic whizzed above his hand.

This was bad. If he hurried he could have the chip done in say, an hour and a half, but that was _without_ interruption. Under such noise he was likely to lose a bit of concentration. _Sigh_. This wasn't going to work. The awful truth gnawed at him: he would have to confront them. Oh Rose was never going to let him live this down! Either he would convince them to let him be, or they would take him away.

_Bang. Bang. Bang._

What to do? They would figure out how to disable the shielding soon enough. It was only a matter of time. And though he'd find ample entertainment watching Torchwood's attempt to get around his clever little stalling trick, it _might_ look better if he opened the door of his own accord rather then have them bust it down.

Taking a deep breath, he carefully set the chip on the desk and slid his glasses back to his suit pocket. Sonic at the ready, he casually waltzed over to the heavy door releasing the shield on the other side. Before they had a chance to act his figure sprang forth, hanging halfway out of the door, spilling into a hall full of armored guards, a dumbfounded Hartman at the helm. They gaped at him as he peeked down to see them with large bolt cutters, attempting to take off the hinges.

"Care to keep it down out here? I'm trying to work you know!" With that, he had disappeared back into the depths of the lab leaving the door cracked open, carrying on as if their presence had merely been an inconvenience.

Hartman, no doubt thrown off by his sudden appearance and seemingly normal response, stood momentarily transfixed. After a moment of indecision, she marched the room, guards not far behind. The Doctor didn't even look up, focusing his energies instead on the task at hand. "Something I can help you with, Assistant Director?"

She didn't answer. Instead he felt her eyes on him analyzing his actions, seeking to find the answer to whatever question mulling over in her mind. More footsteps sounded at the door. Finally he looked up, scanning the growing figures in the room. "What's with the cavalry, eh? Expecting somebody?" In the back he spotted an apprehensive Rose having just entered, Pete behind her. Adeola peeked her head in the door worriedly. He didn't let his eyes linger, choosing to keep up an air of indifference rather than focus on what was rapidly becoming a distressing encounter which was not likely to end well.

"Why did you lock yourself in this lab?" Hartman asked calmly, her expression neutral but guarded.

"Well I would think the answer to that would be obvious," he muttered looking back down, his tongue sweeping to the side in concentration. Ever so nimbly, he pinched a pair of tweezers between his fingers as he nudged a tiny component in place. "We've had several security breeches. Can't be too careful. Plus, if I am the target of all of this, better safe than sorry, eh?"

The moment stretched on before her voice finally sounded again. "Why aren't you in line to be registered?"

Removing his brown specs from the bridge of his nose, he rubbed between his eyes in frustration. "Because, I have a job to do and right now I think my time is best spent here." It was an honest enough answer and the only one he could give her.

"It will still be here when you're done provided you are who you say you are," she replied, the heavy undercurrent of sarcasm detectable.

Glasses still in hand, he let out a long weary sigh and draped an arm over the desk, brushing his other hand through his dark bangs. "I am not the enemy here, Hartman."

She brought herself to her full height folding her arms, her eyes discerning. "Doctor, we have two protocols for this new security process. One for humans, and one for aliens. Tell me, which group do _you_ belong in?"

He didn't need this, not now. And _not_ from her. Standing, he spoke low and earnestly. "I'm one of you and I'm on _your_ side. So stop this nonsense. We don't have time for this."

"_Nonsense?_ I take my job _very_ seriously, Doctor, and right now I think this will lead us to the perpetrator. Or perhaps we _could_ save some time here. My agents went missing as soon as you arrived." He stood absolutely still, only his concerned eyes moving as she came to stand directly in front of him. "So tell me, why is that?"

"I don't know," he answered truthfully, his brow raising. "But I can find out if you let me."

She scoffed. "You've had three weeks on this case, Doctor, and you are no closer to the truth!" She turned, stepping away from him. "And maybe that's the plan, hm?" She swiveled around on the spot, her hair falling to rest upon her shoulders. With a flick of her head, two guards came up behind him grabbing hold of his arms and jerking them back. Rose let out a gasp. Pete held her back. "Scan him," Yvonne ordered. An agent in black tactical gear parted the crowd, holding out a familiar wand: a Jadoon species scanner.

_Fantastic. _His breathing hastened as the man approached. It whizzed loudly as a blue light his his face. "Species unknown. Alien and human traces detected," it spouted. He gulped.

Seemingly satisfied, she nodded to herself. "For failing to disclose your true identity you are under arrest. Take him below to the holding area. And be sure to take his little toy too." The guards bound him with a zip tie, roughly reaching into his pocket and snagged his sonic screwdriver. Well, there went his personal teleport disruptor. He had embedded the chip into it, the one thing he was never without. They then pushed him forward as he stumbled to right himself.

For a moment Rose felt as if she were in free fall. "_No!_" she yelled taking a step forward, her hands reaching toward him as another guard stepped in her way. "You can't do this! He's been helping us! We _need_ him." They couldn't take him from her. Not like this.

"Last time I checked Agent Tyler, I didn't take orders from field agents." Hartman circled around to view her. "I've seen you cozy up to him. It hasn't escaped my notice and it's likely he's been using you and your father to infiltrate this facility."

"That's ridiculous! I've known him for years. _He_ was the one who saved this world from the Cybermen _and_ the darkness! He has been helping us since we got here. We need his expertise on this case. Whatever is happening things are escalating and we can't afford to lose him. Not now."

Those apologetic espresso eyes gave her one last meaningful look before he was pushed out of view. Her heart squeezed with worry. This wasn't some far off planet where all she needed to do was break him out of jail before making a clean get away in the TARDIS. There was no TARDIS and this _was_ home. There was nowhere else to go. Everything they had together was slipping right between her fingers.

It was Pete who spoke next. "Hartman-"

"Don't!" she snapped. Yvonne's voice was now noticeably angry as she walked right up under Pete Tyler's nose, her finger pointing accusingly. "You've been sitting idly on this case for _far_ too long. I have orders from the President herself to neutralize the alien threat and right now he's _top_ on the list. You aren't going to interfere, Director Tyler, or you _will _lose your position."

Scowling, he shifted his weight as he weighed his options.

Jake stepped forward from behind her shaking his head woefully. "We need you boss," he pleaded quietly.

The air was tense, hinging on Pete's decision to act or not. After a moment of deliberation, he sighed in defeat.

"_No_," Rose cried, her eyes moistening as she looked from Pete to Jake. "No you can't just let them do this to him!"

"Remove her from this room," Hartman ordered. "Agent Tyler I suggest you take some time off."

Pete's eyes flashed but it was Jake who stepped in once more. "Come on, Rose, _come on_," he said gently, taking her hand in his tugging her toward the door. "We'll figure this out," he whispered, his piercing blue eyes pleading. "But right now we've got to let things cool down. If we fight they'll take us off the case and that will keep us from being able to clear him."

Despite the fear that gripped her, she knew he was right. Slowly she nodded as he led her into the hall, though not without throwing a vicious glare Adeola's way.

Tears streaming down her face, the woman shook her head adamantly. "I'm sorry! I didn't mean-"

"I don't want to hear it," Rose snapped, walking past. A string of curse words filled her head and she only just managed not to spew them out. Luckily for that little witch she had other things to worry about. "I've got to go and see him," she declared to Jake as she stormed down the hall.

"I don't think that's a good idea right now," he suggested, reaching out once more.

"I have to see him!" she asserted more firmly, yanking her hand from his grasp.

In an instant he had swiveled in front of her, stopping her dead in her tracks as he placed his hands on her shoulders. "Look, Rose, when it comes to him your head goes funny, okay? It's not beyond you to try something daft, and if you do anything, _anything_ at all you could jeopardize not only you and him but your father as well."

She refused to meet his eyes. He was right. Of course he was, but that didn't seem to matter. All she could think about was _him_. And her dad knew very well what she was capable of and how far she was willing to go to get to him no matter the cost.

"_Rose_," Jake warned.

Her gaze finally met his as she slid his hands off her shoulders. "I'm not going to do anything stupid, Jake. But I _will_ see him."

He straightened the hem of his black turtle-neck, matching her resolve. "Then I'm coming with you."

"_Fine_," she snapped. With that, she turned and marched toward the detention center.

* * *

After a long ride in the lift, the armored guards shoved the Doctor further and further into the deeper recesses of the compound. They passed several thick steel doors pulling apart with groaning after every swipe of the badge. It didn't escape his notice that most of the cells they passed were occupied, judging by the green lights displaying on the panels outside each door. It seemed the days of interacting with aliens for mutual benefit had ended abruptly. _Thank you Harriet Jones,_ he thought to himself sarcastically. They stopped at a cell of the highest defense, putting in a code as the door slid open. They slit his bindings thrusting him forward.

The door shut before he could even turn around again. He gritted his teeth walking up to it. Without warning, a blue electric force field zapped into existence with a hiss. _Great, wonderful, fantastic, _he growled in frustration throwing his hands in the air. Fuming, he spun around to examine his cell.

There was a single thin mat adorned in gray sheets laying on top of a metal slab which protruded out of the wall in the corner. A flat metal surface also extended from the wall next to it- some sort of beside table, if you could even call it that. There was a toilet in the other corner. A small frosted window hung above the table but it was obvious it wasn't real. They were far too far underground. It must be to simulate the outside world. A light shone above him next to a tiny vent. And that was it.

He twirled around and gave the edge of the 'bed' a swift kick. Pain shot through his foot as he fell onto the bed and grabbed his trainer. He exhaled.

Oh that dreadful woman! He couldn't stand her. Imprisoning all of them- for what? _Simply existing_? The whole thing was vile! This was bad. This was really _really_ bad. How on Pete's World was he going to get out of this one?

Now more than ever he needed to figure out the real cause behind the missing people and he couldn't do that from here. But what if they never let him out of here? His heart sank. _Rose. _He couldn't have a relationship with her now. Not like this. He ran his hand through his hair and down the side of his face. That was it then. He wasn't going to stay here forever. He was clever enough to find a way out and get back to her. If the walls of the universe couldn't keep them apart then this certainly wouldn't. Not that he would stay anyway. He would go absolutely insane cooped up in here. He glanced about dismally with a sigh.

He was no stranger to breaking out of prison and as easy as it would be for him to work up a brilliant escape plan he had to be smart about this, because the consequences of his actions would be lasting. He couldn't run. Not this time. First he had to play their game, make them think they had him to give Rose time to get to the bottom of this. If nothing else simply waiting would prove that he was not involved in whatever was going on, or at least that's what he hoped.

But then they would undoubtedly come to interrogate him. They were probably going to try to chip him and fit him with an immobilizer too. He shuddered in response to that thought. Could he really let it get that far?

Suddenly, the steel door behind the field drew back revealing a very angry blond.

"I told you," shouted a burly guard from beside a _very_ testy Rose Tyler, "we have orders from Assistant Director Hartman to accompany you!"

"Shut up!" she hollered at the man in an impressive yell that easily cut through the muffling sound of the force field.

The Doctor found her gaze, her face utterly despaired. Her warm golden brown eyes were glistening as she stepped closer to the field. He mirrored her, stepping forward just on the other side.

"They can't do this," she whispered.

His heart fell. She glanced every so slightly to her left as she subtly eyed the guards behind her. It was obvious that whatever she had wanted to say, she couldn't say it in their presence."You've got to find out who's behind this," he spoke quietly.

She looked back at him, nodding solemnly. "But they won't let you go," she muttered, her lip quivering ever so slightly. "They're going to register and chip you and force you to live on base." She couldn't bear the thought of him being confined for the rest of his life to a live as a slave, heeding the every beck and call of Torchwood.

She inhaled trying to stifle a sob with her hand. Jake inched closer to her and put a supportive hand on her shoulder. The Doctor tensed at the gesture, glaring his way. Now he _really_ didn't like the thought of being trapped in here.

"Doctor, I'm going to figure all of this out. I promise," she asserted, her face now determined, lowering her hand.

"I know," he spoke in a low voice. A small smile crept on the side of his face. If anyone could do the impossible, it was her.

"Doctor I..." her words caught in her throat, as she nervously eyed him. "I..." she paused holding in a breath. "_I've got to go_," she finally breathed, tearing herself away bringing her hand up to wipe her face as she strode off.

His chest hammered at her words. What had she meant to say? He strained to look at her as she disappeared down the hall. But Jake had stepped in front of him emotionless, his eyes scrutinizing. With a wave of his hand the steel door shut in his face.


	22. Chapter 22

**Here's a hefty chapter for you all. I've done a fair amount of editing since the beta readers so if you spot a typo please let me know. I'd greatly appreciate it! ;) As always, I'd be honored if you'd leave a review, especially now that the plot is unfolding.  
**

**Chapter 22**

Rose nervously glanced at the five guards walking closely behind her as they silently ushered her down the hall, the steady patter of heavy footfall the only sound to be had. Being summoned by her new least favorite person in the world was decidedly _not_ how she wanted to spend her evening. Though they didn't specify, based on the unforgiving cold looks on the men's faces she got the distinct impression that she didn't really have a choice in the matter. Frustrated, she bit her lip and pressed on.

_Blast it all!_ She had other things to do! Important things like trying to solve the ruddy case. Since he'd been taken that morning she had been in a frenzy, analyzing every unturned stone, determined to crack the mystery and save him at any cost. Not that her 'superior' cared about anything but making other people's lives miserable. She didn't have time to talk to Yvonne Hartman. And to be frank, given her current state she doubted she could respond to this inquiry with any amount of professionalism. Right now she wanted nothing but to wring the woman's neck.

She stole another uneasy glance behind her as she stepped into the atrium. Why did she need to be escorted by so many agents? Intimidating, soulless, _armed_ agents? _Unless_... Did they think _she_ was an accessory to the disappearances? She blew out a shaky breath as she ascended the stairs, several curious eyes trained on her from the command center below.

With a sweep of a burly arm, the solider just to her left pushed open the glass door of Hartman's office. While Rose rarely had need to visit her Assistant Director, she had in fact been in her office before. As to be expected, it was unchanged though still quite impressive: a picturesque scene straight from a interior magazine, all modern and posh. It would have been a rather welcome space if not for an overly pleased Yvonne seated at her desk. One look at her smug face and Rose was seething all over again. "May I help you,_ Assistant Director_?" she asked as politely as she could though it _still_ somehow managed to come out incredibly hostile.

Yvvone's pseudo-happy demeanor dropped in an instant. "Look I know you've got it for him, sweetheart, but you need to see beyond his good looks. Something's going on here and I need to know what it is." She stood up from her desk, walked around it, and sat on it's edge while crossing her legs. Rose couldn't help but belch at her rather short black pencil skirt and the fact that she wore no under-shirt under her fitted suit jacket, her cleavage rather painfully distracting at that particular angle. The woman was hardly doing herself any favors at her age. "All this started when he came here," she continued, her hazel eyes sharpening. "And that, was _your_ doing, wasn't it?"

Rose carefully considered her words before answering plainly. "Yes." Flicking her blond hair to the side, she lifted her chin up defiantly. "I brought him here from another universe to stop the darkness."

Her boss seemed to have been expecting such an answer. If she was surprised, she didn't show it. Instead her face was calm, as if the vital tidbits information she so desperately sought after were just a light conversation over tea. In fact, if Rose hadn't known better, she'd think the woman was _bored_. "The dimension cannon project, you mean?" Hartman asked dully, despite a hint of wonder glinting in her eye. "You brought him from the parallel universe where the Cybermen had fled to using the cannon?"

And then Rose understood. She _wasn't_ bored. Making someone feel uninteresting and unimportant was simply another way this vainglorious woman asserted her dominance, twisted as it was. Well, the truth couldn't be more interesting. And if she wanted to pretend she wasting her own time, she could go right on. Wasn't like Rose gave a flying care. "Yes, he's from that universe. He's the same man that saved us six years ago and I knew he was the only one who could stop the stars from going out." Okay so maybe she was stretching the truth _slightly_ but it was basically true.

"Who is he? _What_ is he?"

Rose snorted inaudibly as she shook her head with a strained smile. "He's the most amazing man in the whole of creation. And he's not someone you want to keep locked up in a cage like some _animal_," she spat.

The woman's eyes narrowed. "Watch it, Tyler. I can lock you up _just_ as quickly."

Rose curled her lip, biting her tongue. She didn't have time to waste sitting in a cell. "_Fine._ You want to know what he is? He's a Time Lord. Part Time Lord, part human. They are an ancient species from another universe that can travel through space and time. He's a genius, he's over 900, he can speak any language, and he helps people throughout history. He's saved this world and the _entire_ universe for that matter. He didn't do this, Assistant Director. I know him, and he _didn't_ do this."

"_I_ don't know that for sure," she countered, folding her arms.

"_I _do! And he can help us. We_ need _him."

"And he will help us if he knows what's good for him," she replied coolly. "From his cell."

Rose fumed, her hands clenching. "That's _wrong_."

"Even if I could release him, and I'm not saying I _would_, my hands are tied," she said flippantly. "President Jones has ordered the detainment of all alien life forms until further notice."

"Because you practically told her to!" protested Rose with a stomp of her foot. "If you hadn't made her so scared of what we do..."

"Enough!" the woman yelled. "Take the week off, Tyler. It's because of your outstanding track record with our company that you haven't been already been fired. I needn't remind you the company policy regarding retconn. You would do well to take that into consideration." Yvonne leaned forward threateningly. "And don't you try anything daft with your little alien boyfriend or I'll send him somewhere even _you_ can't find him."

For the first time she was truly scared. Years of Torchwood training and experience with the Doctor was all that allowed her to mask the fear now writhing uncomfortably in her stomach. It was company policy to erase the memories of fired employees for security purposes. In fact, she had personally admitted retconn to several citizens who had seen things they ought not to have. There was marked difference, however, between losing one's memory for a day and losing _years _of one's life. "With all due respect ma'am, I have a case to solve," she muttered, struggling to maintain her composure.

"Then get to it," her boss barked, arm pointing toward the door.

Visibly flustered, Rose spun around on the spot and marched past the men who parted to let her through. It was time she had a little chat with her father about gaining an audience with the President. If Hartman kept going over their heads, maybe it was time they followed suit.

Hartman looked on as Rose descended the stairs. "Keep an eye on her. She may lead us to what we want. And let me know if she does anything stupid. " The lead agent by the door nodded and departed without a word.

* * *

A lone figure stood in a darkened room, out of sight and out of ear-shot of the Torchwood employees passing by just beyond the closed door. A hand lifted to an earpiece. "Report," the monotonous voice buzzed from the device.

"The subject has been put in isolation. Further testing is impossible without raising alarm. But perhaps we can convince them to some testing of their own."

"Explain."

"Torchwood has recently implemented a new security feature in their attempts to discover our little operation. All aliens are to have their DNA mapped and a chip inserted into their bodies. If we could compromise the physician in charge of the procedure we could perform any exam we wish while he was under anesthesia. Or... perhaps it's time to take him in. It would provide the perfect window of opportunity now that he has been separated from his personal teleport disruptor."

"Negative. His incarceration may be incentive to show his true capabilities. We must observe."

"And the tests?"

"Do what you must," came the cold reply.

"Consider it done."

* * *

Nightmares clawed at the Doctor's mind as he slept, throwing him unwillingly and unexpectedly into consciousness as his eyes flew open, a cold sweat upon his brow. The memories of everything that had transpired the day before swiftly jostled away his lingering sleepiness. He rolled his legs over to the side of the bed and slumped himself into a sitting position. Scattered at his feet lie his crumpled brown jacket, socks, and white trainers lit up by the steady blue glow of the energy field at the door. It didn't take a clock for him to know that it was 4:32 in the morning. As if responding to his train of thought, his stomach growled uncomfortably, cutting into the stifling thick silence.

Groaning, he rubbed at his thin face with his hands. Having been in his cell now for nearly 24 hours, he already felt himself going a bit mad. He was never good cooped up in one place for too long, especially not in this rather hyper incarnation. While he trusted Rose with his life, he knew it could be a long time before he got out. Now _there_ was a joyous thought. _Huzzah._ If they didn't come for him soon they'd have to scrape him from the ceiling._  
_

At thinking her name, the image of her trying to say something outside his cell flew in his mind's eye. It had been so eerily reminiscent of the first time they were on bad wolf bay. That was the moment when she told him she loved him. It had been in an instant the most brilliant and most painful thing to have ever have happened to him save Gallifrey. And now here they were again. Apart.

But then it was these circumstances that gave him the chance to hold her hand, and perhaps the chance for her to reevaluate her feelings for him. He huffed. How ironic. Why did it seem to take such colossal circumstances for either of them to share how they felt about each other? If he ever got out of here he was going to change that.

What was keeping them apart? Why, if she could love the other him with all his faults and mistakes, could she not love _him_ too? She must have _some_ feelings for him. That was the frustrating part! The way she looked at him, her physiological responses when they were in close proximity, the fact that they spent nearly every waking moment together- it all pointed to what was very apparent to both of them. They were merely dancing around the obvious. So what was holding her back? After all, it was _she_ who requested time and space apart, and yet now she seemed perfectly content that they were practically inseparable. Obviously they were past the need for either.

And yet he wanted her closer still. He wanted her entirely.

But_ every_ time they took a step forward they took two gigantic leaps back. He had to get out of there and make it right. And he had had about enough of all this tiptoeing around. Maybe all she wanted was friendship, but he didn't think so. Not _really. _And she deserved to know how he felt about her regardless of what she decided.

Oh but _how_ to get out? He brushed through his wild locks, standing them straight on end. Until Harriet Jones decided to release all of the aliens in custody, which he wouldn't bet on, he was technically stuck there unless he decided to escape. If it came to that he absolutely would. He was no stranger to breaking out of prisons, prisons _far_ more technologically advanced than this. And he had no doubt that Rose would help him if need be. But... then they would have to live a life on the run.

He mulled over this thought for a moment, pursing his lips in contemplation. He was clever enough to work it out if it came to that. They could go anywhere. He knew the languages and customs of all Earth's people, after all. Getting money might be difficult though.

But that wasn't really fair to Rose, was it? What kind of life would that be for her? He would be taking her from living a life of luxury with her family to a life of squalor constantly on the run from every government entity out there. Entities with limitless alien tech available to aid them in tracking them down, some of which he had _personally_ cataloged. Would she even want a life like that?

But there was another way... His breath hitched in his chest at a thought- a brilliant, full-on _exhilarating_ thought: the vortex manipulator. They could run. As long as they didn't jump too far into the future and stayed relatively close to Earth it shouldn't be a problem, cracked crystal or no. And they could go to so many places and they were _all_ new to him in this parallel universe. New wonders to discover, temptations of every kind calling out to him with Rose at his side. Oh the thought made him nearly burst! He had never wanted anything so bad in his life. And that was including the nine-hundred years of his previous existence.

Suddenly he heard a noise outside the door. Instinctively he stood, his bare feet padding upon the cold floor. Another loud bang echoed into the chamber as the door flew open and the energy field vanished. The room took on an orange glow from the light in the hall as two armored Torchwood guards grabbed him by the arms and threw him into the hallway. The sudden onslaught of light upon his eyes nearly forced them shut as he caught himself on the wall. In an instant they were upon him again, zip-tying his hands together tightly. _Ouch. _A bit _too_ tightly. They pushed him forward with all the grace of a couple of schoolyard bullies.

Ten minutes later he was sitting in the same interrogation room he had questioned Nurse Wilkins in. He looked around the room lazily, a slow yawn escaping his mouth.

"Good morning, _Doctor_," Hartman said as she entered the room holding a cup of coffee. From behind her came one of her minions who mutely circled around him to release his hands before promptly disappearing behind the door with a click. Yvvone wordlessly slid the pungent coffee in front of him as she sat just across the table.

"You're looking well, Assistant Director," he calmly stated, taking in her ridiculous impeccably curled hair and wondering how early she must have gotten up that morning.

She smiled. "I'm a morning person."

He nodded halfway, his own eyes still halfway closed. Of course she was. _The devil woman._

"Can't say the same for you though I'm afraid," she said appraising him.

He snorted in amusement. No doubt he was in a state what with his hair wild, his stubbly face, and his half unbuttoned shirt hanging loosely about his lanky frame. "Weeeellll, my hotel room was bit uncomfortable," he said sarcastically as he took a swig of coffee. "I'm not leaving a good review, I'll tell you that. I'm telling _all_ my friends not to come here."

"You would do well to do so, especially in Miss Rose Tyler's case."

He shot her a dark look as he lowered his cup, his hand tensing audibly around the foam.

"She's a great agent but I wouldn't put it past her to do something stupid when it comes to you," she said resting her arms across the table. "Or you for her, am I right?" She studied him carefully.

"What do you want, Hartman?" he asked her, cutting to the chase.

"What's going on between you two?"

His face contorted in irritation. "What does that have to do with _anything_?"

"I don't know, but I want to find out. Are you using her? Are you controlling her?"

Anger flashed upon his features. "I would never do such a thing. Not to anyone and especially not _her_."

A slight smile curled at the edge of her painted lips. "So she means something to you then?"

"More than you could ever know," he stated bluntly.

She seemed somewhat taken aback at his honesty, her brows raising in mild surprise. "I see. Is that why you're in this universe then?"

His own brow shot up. How had she figured that out?

"Oh, Agent Tyler and I had a lovely discussion yesterday," she explained with an air of puffy self-contentment answering the question he didn't voice. Somehow the thought made him even _more_ angry. No one should have to suffer being around this woman. He wouldn't wish it upon a Dalek, and especially not Rose. She continued, "But I want to hear what you have to say for yourself. So tell me, Doctor, what are you?"

He sighed and leaned back into his rather uncomfortable chair. Well, no sense in trying to hide anything from her now. "I'm a Time Lord human hybrid, the last of my kind. They traveled the cosmos through time and space until they were all killed in a great war. I'm the only survivor. My ship fell through a crack in time and space. I happened upon your world by accident and saved it from the Cybermen. That's the short version of it anyway."

Her face scrunched in confusion. "Why? It wasn't your world. What interest did you have in it?"

"It's what I do. I'm 'the _Doctor',_" he said quoting the air before folding his arms.

"So what, you go flying around the universe playing the super hero?" she said incredulously. "You really expect me to believe that?"

"Yep," he said popping the 'p' as he picked up his coffee once more. Oh she didn't know the half of it. And half of the things he'd been through even _he_ found hard to believe.

"But then why come back here instead of staying in your own universe?"

He didn't look up, instead staring at the swirling shapes floating in his cup. It was a fair enough question, but as he lost himself in the mesmerizing steam floating from his coffee he couldn't bring himself to answer. The answer being infinitely complex. He was exiled? He chose to stay? He wanted this? He was naive? None of them were adequate. There was only one answer, really. One word. Just one. A name. _Her_ name.

"You stayed for her," the woman stated quietly, as if plucking the answer straight from his brain.

He paused for a moment before finally answering. "_Yes._ And anyway, I can't go back," he said casually as he could manage, eager to redirect the conversation. "Lost my ship and the crack was sealed. I can't reopened it without risking the collapse of the entire universe."

Hartman straightened herself up at this seemingly disturbing news, flipping a stray bang from her eye. "Then we have a problem. Because our protocol is to send aliens who we find to be disruptive home and you haven't got a home, not in this universe anyway."

He balked. "How am I being disruptive?" That hardly seemed fair. He had single-handedly increased the efficiency of the entire facility. Unless by disruptive she meant brilliant but regrettebly beyond her rule.

"Need I remind you that we have several missing agents?" she asked cynically.

"No you _need_ not, but it seems _you_ need reminding that I had nothing to do with their disappearances," he retorted with conviction.

"You are connected to all of this and you know it. I saw the files on what happened. A sample of your blood was taken and transmitted to the source of whatever has been sending that signal and your flat was targeted by a scan. Either you are behind it or _you_ are the target, either way I want you out of here."

"I can help you, you know."

She let out a silent snort. "If you were really capable of all you claim then I would have expected results by now."

He sat up and leaned forward, his patience wearing thin. "Maybe you would have had them by now if _you_ hadn't locked me up for no good reason," he reprimanded angrily. "And what about the others, hm? They didn't do anything wrong. It's no better than locking someone up because the of the color of their hair!"

"Doctor, we have what are called human rights, and the rights of legal citizens of this country. Unlike us, you fall into _neither_ category," she taunted, clasping her hands together in what he could only assume was meant to be an authoritative gesture.

His eyes narrowed, his voice low and velvety. "Oh I rather question _your_ humanity, Yvonne."

She scoffed, bristling. Seemed his words had found their mark. "I'll have you know I'm doing my duty for my country," she asserted with every bit of overreaching overzealous-ness that got her long-dead counterpart into trouble.

"Oh don't start that bit again. You sound just like her," he moaned, pressing his lips together in annoyance as he massaged at his temples, eyes closed. Just how much longer was this insufferable interrogation going to last? He'd take solitary confinement over this woman any day.

"_What_?"

"Your parallel version. You were the same... what with the big hair and the making stupid decisions," he explained gesturing airily, leaning back in his chair. Now that he thought about it, her imprisoning him was very much in character. He shouldn't be too surprised.

For a moment, she was speechless. But the blessed silence didn't last. "I can't take anything you say at face value," she finally spoke.

"Well you should," he snapped, glaring at her.

"Why's that?"

He bent forward, his voice low and intense. "Because right now I'm the best chance you have of finding these missing people."

"Then help us," she shrugged simply.

He let out a chortle. "Oh, I see how it is. You make me work for you as what... your _slave_?" If she thought he was going to live a life serving the likes of her she had another thing coming.

"You're the one who helps people aren't you? If that's '_what you do'_, then you'll help regardless out of the goodness of your heart, am I right?"

Her presumptuous smirk was digging into his nerves, a dislike so strong he could swear there was a foul taste in his mouth, coffee notwithstanding. "No. No I don't think I will," he said finally, leaning back once more, placing his hands behind his head in a gesture every bit as cavalier and nonchalant as she was acting.

She let out a small laugh. "Right. Sorry Doctor but I call your bluff."

His brow shot up in response. "What makes you think I'm bluffing?" he asked curtly.

"Because if you really didn't do this then we are in danger, all of us, and that includes Agent Tyler. If you really are the target how long do you think it will take for them to get to her? _Hm?_"

Her words struck home. He sat up once more, still angrily glaring at her, his lip curled.

Victorious, Yvvone stood, smiling. "Enjoy your coffee, Doctor. And if I were you I wouldn't get any funny ideas about skipping town. Things wouldn't go over so well for her."

He stiffened, his eyes shooting her a sideways glare. "What are you getting at?"

"If she tries anything at all to help you escape,_ anything_, I'll personally give her enough retconn to wipe the past _decade_ from her life," she snidely remarked, bending forward. "How far back do you two go, hm? I reckon not that far."

Her words instantaneously set him afire. If she wanted the oncoming storm then she was having a darn good go at trying to unleash him. And if she thought for _one moment_ that because he helped people he was beyond anger, then that would be a grave miscalculation on her part. "Don't you dare, Hartman. _Don't you dare_ threaten her to get to me," he warned, scowling fiercely.

She smirked. "I believe I just did."

Hot fury boiled inside his gut as he crouched forward. "Oh _big mistake_! Because you're right, Hartman. I would do anything for her. And I'll let you in on a little secret- it's not the walls and steel doors keeping me at bay. It's my faith in her. So I'll play your little game, but if you so much as look at her the wrong way I'll get out. And trust me, you don't want to make me your enemy."

"Those are dangerous words, Doctor," she said appraisingly.

"I'm a dangerous man, _Assistant Director_."

She turned to leave. "I'll keep that in mind."

"Hartman what is NOVAE?! What is it really?!" he yelled out to her departing form.

"Take him to the infirmary to be chipped," he heard her order from around the corner.

Once more the guards shuffled into the room yanking him to his feet and binding him. _Great. Off to be branded like cattle. _The thought of having something surgically implanted in him made his skin crawl. This wasn't going to be fun.


	23. Chapter 23

**Happy Holidays! Here's a lovely chapter for you all. I've gained several followers this past week. To those just joining the story, welcome! And to those who read the last chapter right after I posted it, you ought to know that since then I added something like 500 words. So if you feel like it, you could read it again for a just a bit more spice. **

**And if you haven't already, please consider leaving me a review. I would greatly appreciate your input. It fuels my drive to write and makes all the countless hours of toil worth it. ;) Seeing all those follows and reviews pushed me to get this out there in time for Christmas. So keep 'em coming and I'll keep you on your toes!  
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**Chapter 23**

Rose's figure stood at the window watching the night sky in the quiet of her room. She hadn't any idea what time it was, not that it mattered. Sleeping was a lost cause. And so she stared, and thought, and agonized- the what-ifs, and if-onlys playing non-stop in her head on repeat, all ending with the same inward kick to her own rear for not getting him out when she had the chance.

She fiddled idly with a lock of matted hair, distressed from hours of tossing and turning, her go-to gesture whenever her mind was busy meticulously picking things apart. Her dad, her friends, her life... all of it was inseparably connected to Torchwood. Had been for years. At least until her new Doctor had come to stay. But based on the mounting evidence, Rose was starting to think that perhaps Torchwood and the Doctor were a cocktail of chemicals that should simply never be mixed in any incarnation of any universe. Seemed this Torchwood wasn't as different as she'd hoped, wasn't the organization that she had put her blood, sweat, and tears into for years. What was worse- she had promised the Doctor it was. And now he was sitting in cell. Because he had trusted her.

_No._ That wasn't fair. That wasn't fair to her, her father, Jake, or any of those who had given their lives to bring down the old regime. The people's republic_ had _made it a better place. There was only one element that was dragging the entire organization down now- the presidentially appointed Assistant Director.

Without warning, her stomach pitched uncomfortably, though from neglectful hunger or nerves she could be entirely sure. She turned to look at the clock; it was five in the morning. _Oh toss it all! _There was no point now.

Suddenly she was in motion, robe flying, arms grabbing whatever clothes she happened to reach first, dress-code be darned. Denim, trainers, and hoodies weren't her usual business attire, but she wasn't feeling particularly loyal to Torchwood and it's ruddy rules at the moment. Throwing on her leather jacket over the hastily gathered ensemble, she raked at her blond hair briefly with her fingers, snatched her purse, and was out the door.

The cold was bitter as she drove. Frost had encompassed the landscape; trees, cars, mail boxes, all were enveloped in tiny filaments of textured ice. It would have been beautiful if she had seen it. Instead, she could only see his face bathed in a blue glow from the energy field, as specter-like as ever. And for all that separated them, he might as well have been a hologram wishing her a fantastic life.

But she had her fill of separation. She _would_ get him back. She'd make sure of that.

Already she was plotting. Her first course of action had been to pester her mother the night before to find a suitable charity function to accost the president, pulling Viatex's social strings so to speak. Using her father's connections and status as an elite member of society was not something she reveled in, but it was the easiest and least painful way to set the Doctor free, assuming they could change Harriet Jones' mind. Failing that, she'd have to take the more hands-on approach, or '_The Doctor way_' as she had become accustomed to calling it in her mind. Oh he'd have a go at her about that, with that cheeky smirk as if she'd given him the greatest compliment in the world. Just imagining that ridiculously good-looking smile of his was enough to make her heart pinch.

The air was misty with a freezing fog as she parked outside his darkened flat. She shut the door, pulling out her key as her trainers crunched the gravel beneath her feet. With all the worrying and all the scenarios swimming in her head, the lack of sleep was starting to catch up to her. All she wanted to do was curl up on his couch and breath in his scent, letting the comforts and memories of her newfound safe haven hold her if he couldn't. She entered and flipped on the light, then promptly let out a gasp.

It was gone. _All of it_, everything was gone! She ran forward stopping abruptly in the middle of the empty room, eyes darting along the kitchen and down the hallway. _Gone. _Her heart pounded. She ran to the closet; it was normal sized. She ran to his bedroom- nothing. Even the furniture had been removed. Swallowing the sour taste in her mouth, she gritted her teeth. She didn't even need to ask who'd done this. The answer was only obvious. _Hartman._

Suddenly her stomach felt as if it had fallen clear to the floor. _The TARDIS..._

Ear throbbing from running, she dashed out to the garden. There stood a large leafless tree, a tree that _hadn't_ been there before. Grinning, she exhaled in relief, warmth billowing inside despite the her frozen surroundings. He must have feared this would happen, and in foresight had set up a perception filter to disguise the TARDIS from prying eyes. Of course he did! This was the Doctor, after all. Hartman and her cronies had no idea it was even here. _Oh that clever man!_

But then her grin faded as she cast a weary glance over her shoulder, her chilled breath hanging in the air. As much as she wanted to go running into that blue box and barricade herself from the world and it's sorrows, she couldn't risk it. No doubt Hartman was having her followed. If not in person, by satellite. Rose couldn't afford to give that dreadful woman such luxury, giving up the secret to the _one_ part of him she hadn't yet managed to snatch away, even though she desperately wanted to to be near a part of him- _anything _of his. Turning, she stepped back over the threshold and slid the glass door shut, her sharp eyes scanning the silent stillness of the garden, sparkling with frost under the moonlight.

Woefully, she drug her feet until she fell against the barren kitchen wall. The sight of the place so empty affected her deeper than perhaps it ought to, what with all his daft little projects not littering the floor, or lack of dishes piled precariously in the sink. It was like they had tried to erase him completely from her life. Like falling from that lever all over again- having every trace of the life she had with him pulled from her grasp with nothing to remind her that he was even real. She felt utterly violated and desperately alone.

And even that was her fault, wasn't it? She was so bent on erecting barriers and keeping him at arms length...

Why hadn't she told him how she felt at his cell? What if she never got that chance now? But he must know. Every look, every unspoken gesture, everything about their relationship stemmed from the fact that they were both... in_ love_. Yes, there was no denying it any longer. And it wasn't saving worlds or daring feats of courage that defined them. It was arguing over the remote, his feigned outrage at catching her cheating during board games, heated discussions over the silliest of things, or his attempts make her laugh after a hard day with _really _terrible jokes that were so bad they worked. How he'd lean in as closed as he'd dared whenever he spoke, and she'd let him. How she'd catch him watching her out of the corner of her eye and he'd put on his most charming smile to cover it up, the one that melted her every time. Love for them was found in the quiet moments of daily living, those little snippets of mundane so easily forgotten by most, tucked away and cataloged in the confines of her heart, the place she swore never to let another breech.

And in a pang of fresh guilt, she thought of her original Time Lord, whom she realized with a start she hadn't properly thought about in days. Perhaps all of this began as some sort of subconscious self-inflicted punishment for her betrayal for breaking her promise of forever that day on the beach. By denying herself this new man, denying herself happiness, she was carrying out her own sentence, acting as her own judge, jury, and executioner. And worst of all, she still felt undeserving. Of _either_ of them. Reach out to the one here, and she betrays the other, justifying his action to leave her in the first place. Throw caution to the wind and try to get back to her original Time Lord, and she devastates her best mate who was counting on her to adjust to human life, who, if she were completely honest with herself, she had loved right from the start.

But love was never the issue. The problem was she couldn't tell if she really loved _him_ or the memory of her Time Lord, so her gut reaction had been to protect herself by pushing him away until she could sort things out. Whatever the reasons, she couldn't cling to that excuse anymore. Now she loved her new new _new_ Doctor. The man who didn't do domestic but braved ordinary every day life just for her. The man who was willing to sacrifice traveling the stars to grind an eight to five job every day with nothing more than the promise of friendship with Rose Tyler. The man who could have asked not to be abandoned on that god-forsaken beach but willingly stayed while the other left. _Her best friend._

Oh how she had been so selfish to ask him to endure all of this and keep him in the cold! But could she give herself fully to him if ever they got through this? Honestly, she didn't know. If it came to that- if he gave her an ultimatum, she supposed she would do anything in her power to keep him, even if that meant risking her heart.

She straightened herself up. Enough fretting. Time to get back to work and save the man who had stolen her heart. With that, she strode across the wooden floors with newly minted resolve, the door slamming shut behind her.

* * *

He was never particularly fond hospitals, or infirmaries, or clinics, or med bays, or _whatever_ peoples and cultures throughout time and space called them. All of them represented the dark and frail morbidity of life, of blood and sickness, of hurt and despair. Things that even he, the Doctor, couldn't fix. He was not lost on the irony as thick metal doors opened slowly, looking more like a vault than a hospital room, revealing a restricted area hidden in the back of the infirmary. From what he could gather, it appeared to be reserved for "trouble" patients like himself, not that he was capable of much trouble with his arms tied securely behind his back. The guards ushered him toward a large patient bed, then gruffly shoved him down as they went to work confining his wrists and legs with black Teflon straps, pulling them tight against the metal frame of the bed. Without a word, the steel doors shut behind them.

Oh he didn't like this, not one bit. Never liked hospitals, him, particularly ones where_ he_ had been a patient, particularly a _restrained_ patient. He instinctively looked around for a means of escape, but his arms were bound far too tight. It wasn't looking good.

Just then, an older man with a graying beard entered the room, peering at him from over the gold rims of his glasses. He wore a standard crisp white lab coat and carried a clipboard which he must have found uninteresting, seeing as his gaze was instead firmly trained on him. Squinting from afar, the Doctor could just make out a name tag which identified him as Dr. Stanton.

"Uh, hello there, um _Doctor_, is there any chance we can reschedule?" he asked jokingly although _not_ so jokingly.

The man didn't answer. Instead, he promptly sat down on a swiveling stool on wheels, dropping his clipboard on the counter. He stretched some plastic gloves over his large hands with a sickening slap of latex on flesh, much to the Doctor's discomfort. _Okay, major case of the willies,_ he commented to himself as he subconsciously tugged at his restraints. The man then proceeded to shove his hand into the metal tray on the counter, pulling out a long needle with milky white fluid inside.

"What's that there?" he asked, his voice quick and high pitched. "You shouldn't need that for anything, this should be a simple implant, which I_ believe_ is on the other tray." He gestured with his head toward the implant clearly visible across the counter. Undeterred, the man drew closer, needle extended. "Okay now I'm scared because you have something in your hand and I have no idea what it is. Annnnddd... you're hypnotized aren't you? _Aren't you? _You're not answering me. Okay this is bad. This is really really bad! Um... help! _Guards_," he cried as the man inched closer, his body tensing, taut and arching against the unforgiving Teflon. "Something's wrong! _Help_!"

_Just his luck._ Seemed the doors were soundproofed. The man unceremoniously tugged his sleeve up. Before he could further protest, the needle found it's mark as the man shoved it violently into the crook of his arm, his veins protesting the intrusion of the drug. "Okay, _ow!_" the Doctor grunted in response. The effects were immediate, and based on his physiological response he could readily guess at the chemical composition: Fentanyl and Propofol. "You've given me anesthetic. You're trying to knock me out..." His breathing slowed but he fought the drug with all his part-Time Lord strength. Tricky beings, Time Lords; they were much more resistant to such chemicals. He could only hope his new part-human body had enough alien to keep him conscious. One more dose, however, and he would be under for sure.

He continued to struggle, breathing heavily and fighting the drowsiness coming over him with all his concentration. The walls were caving in, distorted and blurry, and he could feel every forceful beat of his slowing singular heart, like the winding down of a broken clock. He gazed down at the oscillating image of the tray, forcing his lidded eyes open. Okay, so maybe he _wasn't_ as Time Lord as he used to be. Fortunately, that appeared to be all the anesthetic the bloke had, and as soon as he realized it wasn't going to work at full capacity he would have to leave to get more. Which meant opening that door. _Which meant he could yell for help_...

His chest heaved in and out deeply, the old man patiently observing his victim, his bespectacled eyes glassed over with an unnatural and unsettling sheen. After a minute, the physician's bearded head tilted to side, finally realizing the inevitable; it wasn't working. He stood, reaching for drawer and pulled out an instrument pack.

Okay, now this was going to be horrific. Anesthetic or no this man was going to operate on him. Suddenly he found his voice. "W-what do you want with mmme?" he croaked. "T-tell me... Who are you working f-for?!"

The man stepped forward, kit in hand. He pulled out a scalpel which glinted ominously under the harsh lighting, accentuated by the way it seemed to multiply and dance in the Doctor's line of sight. His stomach dropped, sweat beading at his brow. _Oh that was going to hurt..._

Without warning, the door opened amidst a lot of shouting and mayhem. Several dark shapes which he could only gather were guards crowded into the room, or maybe just a couple. He could trust his sight no longer. Then a familiar face swam into view, _her_ face. Relief overcame him as Rose made quick work of his straps, pulling him up to a seated position, but his limp body slumped forward against hers, feeling incredibly heavy. "I've never been so happy to see you in all my life," he breathed, practically collapsing into her arms as she struggled to hold him up.

"What'd they give you? _What'd they give you_, Doctor?!" her voiced urged into his ears, sounding more like rushing water than anything and yet still managing to sound so very Rose.

"Anesthetic. I think..."

"Stay with me. _Stay with me, Doctor_!"

They slowly knelt to the floor, his weight bringing them both down. "Always, Rose Tyler, _always_."

He succumbed.


	24. Chapter 24

**So I've been looking at which day is best to post these chapters and I think that Sunday might be the best day. So here's an early chapter for you all. Wasn't planning on posting it this soon, but there you go. It was either that or wait an entire week. We've got 10 chapters to go. Two chapters until the next illustration. Reviews fuel my muse! 3 Thanks so much for those who have reviewed so far!  
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**Chapter 24**

Slowly, the Doctor's heavy lids lifted and then lowered once more. Lights and sounds indiscriminately blurred together, suspending him in pseudo-consciousness as his dreams bled into reality.

"_Doctor_? Doctor are you awake?"

It was her voice, a voice which so easily permeated his every thought. Asleep or awake, it was irrelevant; she was the one constant in the equation. But just hearing her speak shook at his mind, throttling him into a more lucid state even while his eyes remained stubbornly closed. Then, a disturbing image flew into his mind's eye- of glinting metal, and sharp needles, of pain and potent fear. Well, perhaps_ nightmare_ would have been more accurate. Maybe he had fallen asleep on the couch while watching one of Rose's CSI shows...

He moved to stretch, or at least he thought he had, but something was wrong. His body was stiff and unmoving. Inhaling sharply, his eyes flew open at the sudden memory of prior events. The cold white lights of the infirmary ceiling bore down on him, his eyes constricting beneath their oppressive glare. Instinctively, he tried to jump up but couldn't. Eyes rapidly trailing downward, he found himself once again strapped to the table, wrists and ankles tightly bound and raw. Panic seized his chest as his breathing rapidly intensified.

"It's okay, Doctor," Rose's gentle voice sounded from beside him, her arm reaching to touch his.

His wide eyes settled on her worried face, her own eyes reddened and wet. He couldn't decide whether to feel relieved or petrified.

"You were unconscious," she explained. "It's been a while. They wouldn't let you stay here without being restrained. I had to beg them not take you back to your cell."

Blowing out a shaky breath, he laid his head back down on the bed. He didn't like being strapped to this table, not at all. Frankly, it was all he could think about. "Please, _please_ get me out of here," he entreated, his voice low and earnest.

Rose's heart sank. She drew closer to him, stroking the side of his face gently with her hand. "Doctor, I won't let anyone hurt you. _Promise_." He inhaled as he closed his eyes, leaning into her comforting touch. "What did he do to you?" she asked quietly, her voice breaking to see her fearless Doctor so very scared.

His eyes opened once more. "Nothing, thanks to you. I owe you big time. And how is it you even managed that?"

"I... came in early," she said evasively, not wanting to admit her little pity fest at his apartment quite yet. "According to the guards you weren't in your cell so I pulled up the security footage and spotted you here. I knew something was wrong. I alerted dad and Hartman on the com and we stopped him, just in time from the looks of it."

"Where is he?"

"Hartman is interrogating him. Not that it will do her much good. He's been hypnotized."

He nodded mutely, looking off towards the other end of the room. _That_ was a close call. He'd had closer calls perhaps, but never as a mere mortal. It was a stark reminder that he had but one life to live. He shuddered.

Her heart broke seeing him like this, ragged and unkempt, a prisoner strapped to the bed, almost subjected to heaven knows what. She couldn't stand it! Involuntary tears began streaming down her face as she sniffed.

Turning at the noise, he saw her crying. It was only obvious why of course, considering his awful state, but for once, he didn't have any words of comfort for her, and his eyes dipped. Suddenly she had thrown herself on his chest, a sob erupting from underneath a mane of wild blond hair.

"They c-can't do this! They c, c-can't!"

Longing to hold her, he pulled at his restraints, but he gritted when his wrists didn't budge. "Rose, Rose you have to be strong now," he pressed, inwardly raging at the injustice of it all. "You have to figure this out."

Sniffing, she wiped her red face with her sleeve and nodded. "I'll do anything you tell me to," her voice cracked.

He knew the implications of what she was saying. He could see it in those oh-so-trusting soft chocolate irises of hers. Mixed with that teary-eyed compassion was a fierceness, a loyalty and resolve that was so _very_ quintessential Rose. Something which even now, he felt wholly undeserving of. But then Rose was just... _Rose. _He didn't even need to question that she was willing to break him out, even at the expense of everything in her life. He knew that instinctively. And while he didn't doubt her, he couldn't ask it of her either. "You have to find the chip, Rose. Find the source and stop this."

"But you're still a prisoner," she protested, fresh tears falling down her cheek. "If this stops you're still not free."

"I promise you, this won't be forever," he assured, _willing_ his words to be true.

"I don't think you get to decide that, Doctor," Hartman's catty voice rang out as she and her guards paraded into the room. She stared down upon them both, derision upon her features. Rose nearly flinched, about to pry herself from him, but thought better of it. Who cared what the woman thought?

"Miss Tyler," Yvonne began, "I don't trust you around this man until he has been chipped and fitted with an immobilizer. Not only that, but if he is a target you could be too. For your safety, I am ordering to you leave. You will be escorted by a guard from this point forward. It's best you keep your distance."

"You can shove it," Rose spat insolently as she dug her face deeper into his chest, tightening her hold around his confined form. "I'm_ not_ leaving him."

His heart melted. "Rose," he gently called to her. She looked up from his chest, her cheeks lined with mascara, her hair untamed, her eyes puffy and tired, so open and honest and as breath-taking as ever. "Rose, you've got to."

Heart beating wildly, she found herself so very close, his lips only inches from hers. She suddenly wanted nothing more but to kiss him in that moment, but doing so in front of Hartman was just something she couldn't bring herself to do. Closing her eyes tightly, she dropped her head in languid resignation.

"Rose?"

She drug her head up to look at him once more.

"Goodbye."

It was funny- for weeks now she agonized over the fact that her Time Lord hadn't said that simple word, and now staring at the face of the man she had grown to love, she understood why. It was such a dreadful word, really. It signaled the end of things. And things were _not_ ending between them. Of that she would make certain. She shook her head and bit her lip. "No Doctor, this isn't goodbye. I promise you. There will be no more goodbyes for us." She forced a watery smile. "See you soon, k?"

He smiled back at her lopsidedly. "See ya."

With that, she gave his forehead a soft kiss before pulling herself up, patting his arm, and leaving the room, a guard in close pursuit. His eyes lingered at the door, his heart thudding slightly faster.

Hartman stared down at him, taking in his wretched state. "So you _didn't_ do this."

"Oh,_ ya think?!_" he retorted, rolling his eyes up to hers.

"We got a ping just before Dr. Stanton was compromised. And I highly doubt you would have tried to have yourself drugged and dissected."

"You guessed _that _one right," he muttered starring off.

"Nor, I imagine, would Miss Tyler. But why are they going through all of this trouble? What's so special about you and your physiology?" she demanded.

"Oh no. We aren't playing the _interrogate-while-confined_ game. If you want answers then undo these straps."

"No."

"_Why_?!" his voice shot at her.

She took a step closer to his bed, her heels clicking upon the floor. "_Because_, you are a dangerous man,_ Doctor,_" she said mockingly, repeating his words from before.

He ground his teeth. _Of course_ she would use that against him. He would have to do a whole lot of convincing to undo that threat. "Look, you know I'm not the culprit now. Whatever is out there is taking your people and stealing top secret project information. If you want to figure out who and what they are then you _need_ me. I'm your best chance at finding this thing out. Now _let me go!_"

"I am not giving you _any_ chances to disappear Doctor. You made yourself _very_ clear this morning. If I can't be rid of you then you can bet I'm going to keep an eye on you. Time to finish the procedure," she said smugly, beckoning a nurse into the room.

His eyes widened, nervousness working it's way up into the pit of his stomach once more.

"Oh don't worry, Doctor, I'll be here to supervise the chip insertion."

Somehow that didn't make him feel any better. In fact, he felt worse. "This is _wrong_, Hartman."

A young brunette in scrubs stepped forward. It was Nurse Wilkins. "Hello, Doctor," she said sadly as she brought up a metal tray and set it next to her on the counter. "Thanks for what you did for me," she whispered. "And I'm _really_ sorry about this." Reaching down, she drew his right hand out slightly from the the Teflon strap, twisting it toward her. She sterilized the area just below his wrist and then brought up a specialized syringe containing the tiny implant.

He couldn't bring himself to watch as he took a deep breath and looked the other way, his eyes landing on medical charts pasted along the wall. A tiny sting pricked his arm as the implant was injected. The sound of metal clanked as the syringe was tossed back into the tray. Though he felt violated, he wasn't too concerned. Such a thing was easily remedied. A bit of scheming and he could figure out a way to expel the offending chip in no time. His plans were disrupted however, by the grating sound of Yvonne's voice.

"We've fitted a special immobilizer just for you, Doctor," she said proudly, holding up an alien-looking ring of what he supposed was some type of anklet device. "From what we can gather, it's designed to inject a sleeping agent should you stray too far from the signal. We've programmed it to restrict you to this compound. If you scan or cut the device it's set to release all of the agent at once."

"You mean it will kill me?" he asked with a scoff. That sounded a bit dark, even for her.

"Oh no! What do you take me for, Doctor? Killing you indiscriminately would be against protocol. Far too much paperwork. And anyway I prefer to do things by the book. Pity there wasn't a chapter on this. So I've had to get creative. Because I _will_ neutralize any threat to my country. You see, if this goes off," she said holding it up threateningly, "the sleeping effects would be permanent. You would never wake up. The device can never be removed. Not even by us. We don't even know how. Any attempts result in the discharge of the sleeping agent, four ounces to be precise. You'd be alive and well but harmless, living the rest of your life in a bed with a feeding tube shoved down your throat. And _no_ interplanetary regulations will have been violated."

A new sort of panic settled in him as he realized she held up something _every bit _as sinister as the hypnotized Dr. Stanton with his all needles and his scalpels."What do you mean? Are you telling me you are about to put a device on me that will confine me to this area indefinitely that you can't disable,_ ever_?!" Maybe he had underestimated her. Hartman was a misnomer, he decided. A more apt name would have been _Heartless_.

"That's correct," she said much too calmly, handing the device to the nurse beside her.

Jennifer Wilkins took it, nervously looking between them. He could see her inward battle, see it in her shaking outstretched arms as she looked down at the black device. "I-I can't do this, Assistant Director. I took an oath." _Good woman_, he breathed in relief. _Sanity prevails._

"Fine," Hartman snapped indignantly, snatching it back with a clawed hand. "I'll do it myself."

He gaped at her speechless and utterly horrified. _Oh ruddy hell!_ He had to find his voice quickly if he was going to stop this. Clever as he was, he had never seen such a thing and the risk would be far too great to tinker with it, even with his sonic. "I'd rather go off planet! Don't do this, don't do this _please_," he begged as she opened the device. "I'll _leave! Didn't you hear me_?!" he screamed as she advanced.

"You're a dangerous man and these are dangerous times, Doctor," she said darkly, lifting his trousers just above his ankle. "And dangerous calls for desperate measures."

"You might need me to go outside the area for something!_ This is stupid! This is idiotic! Don't!_" A sickening click sounded.

It was done.

He hardly noticed as his straps were loosened, his mouth hanging loosely open.

"There, now that's better, isn't it?" he thought her heard her say, her voice sounding so very far away.

Everything, _everything_ was gone. His chance at a life- a_ real _life, it was destroyed. Suddenly the open anticipation of turning a new chapter in his life, a chapter with her at his side traveling through space and time once more, was slammed shut. The limitless possibilities and joys they could have shared turned to ash in his hands.

"We'll talk later," Hartman muttered. "You look like you could use a break. You are free to walk about the compound. I'm assigning you a guard as well." With that she turned on her heels and started to depart.

Suddenly he found his voice again, speaking towards the wall he couldn't seem to tear his eyes from. "Did it never occur to you..." he began softly, "that they might try to kidnap me too? You've taken my teleport disruptor. And now if they take me out of range, I'm done for."

"This facility has an anti-transport beam on it. You should be fine as long as you don't try to leave. _Provided their technology isn't more advanced than ours_," she added under her breath before the sound of her shoes faded down the hall.

Nurse Wilkins approached, her eyes moistened. She lay a gentle hand on his arm. "I'm... I'm _so_ sorry. Is- is there anything I can get you?"

"My things, they were in my cell..." he mumbled hollowly.

She nodded. "I'll see what I can do. If you'd like, there's a shower just down the hall. And I'll order you some food..."

She too left as he drug his feet onto the floor. Numbness settled into his extremities, spreading until it sized his breast, stopping his heart cold. Even death was a far kinder fate that this.

* * *

Rose had been following leads since the moment she had left the infirmary, but was no closer to the truth. No one had seen anyone enter the lab downstairs. She cross checked the number of employees with security access who would be in the know to no avail. Immensely frustrated, she rose from her desk, sliding her office chair back in place as flash of black fidgeted in the corner. Her personal "guard" stood menacingly by the door of her office, ever watchful, his hand resting on his Torchwood issued stun gun. Stun gun was a loose term. With a flick of a switch it was just as lethal as any other weapon. The official name simply sounded less foreboding. But of course, it was all for her _protection_. _Riiiight. _She might was well be considered a prisoner too. With a disgruntled groan, she dashed from the room to investigate his lab once more, her guard in tow.

Rose forcefully pushed the door to lab 4c aside but stopped in her tracks. There he was, standing there, looking down at the multi-resonance scanner console in his brown suit, hands stuffed in his pockets. He was freshly shaved and showered by the look of his wet hair. He didn't even look up.

She threw herself at him, bumping him backwards as he staggered against her. "They let you out!" she breathed in relief, her arms tightly around his neck. "Oh god, I thought they were never gonna let me see you again!"

But something was wrong. He was far too still and far too quiet. She pulled away to examined him. His face was distant, his dark brown eyes utterly despondent as he looked straight through her, sending a chill dripping down her spine. "Doctor, _Doctor_, what's wrong?!"

Tentatively he eyed the dark shape behind her, her guard standing just steps from his own, occupying the corner of the lab in steely silence. Now both agents watched their every move, defiling their embrace with their cold staring. Shutting his eyes hard, he clenched his jaw. He couldn't even have a moment alone with her. Taking a deep breath, he forced his eyes open and found her anxious eyes. Oh how to tell her? How could he bring himself to say it? That he couldn't be there for her anymore? That she had been right and he had been careless? That everything, _everything_ had changed? That he had _let her down? _He brought his hand up to gently brush her messy yellow hair to the side, stroking the side of her face with the back of his fingers, wishing that brushing away her worried expression were as simple.

She held her breath at his touch, a type of touch that alluded to something deeper than surface friendship and yet something she didn't want to shy away from any longer. Instead, her hand reached up to caress the back of his hand, tickling the skin underneath with faint traces of her fingertips. His features twisted in pain as he gazed on her and swallowed. Her stomach pinched in nervousness.

"Doctor, Doctor what's wrong,_ tell me_!"

"She... she chipped me and fit me with an immobilizer, but it wasn't just an immobilizer," he said sorrowfully. "It was fitted with a sleeping agent, designed to put me to sleep if I leave the compound. If I try to tamper with it, it releases a large dose all at once. I'll never wake up."

Her mouth fell open in shock. What sort of asinine, backwards, barbaric, _illegal_ action was this?! More to the point, how do they get rid of it? Several things came to the front of her tongue but she bit them back. She had to choose her words carefully in front of their audience. "Well, well we have to get it off of you... by... by proving your innocence!"

"It won't matter," he said, his voice faltering. "It can never be removed."

Her breathing hastened, her eyes moving back in forth in thought. "No... no no no_ No_!" She brought her hand up to her mouth and stumbled back. This was her fault. The Time Lord Doctor had told her to look out for him, and she had failed him, failed him _miserably_. "I'm sorry," she whispered with a shake of her head, eyes welling with tears. "I'm _so_ sorry I didn't figure this out in time."

"Rose, this was _not_ your fault," he adamantly affirmed, clasping her shoulders.

"I've got to fix this." She shifted her face ever so slightly out of the view of the men behind her. "I can get your sonic back" she mouthed silently. "We can get this off you."

He stole a fleeting glance at the guards behind her before taking a step closer, grabbing both her hands as he rubbed the back of them comfortingly with this thumbs. "Rose, you are all I have left now, and I'm not going to jeopardize that."

"But this is no life at all!" she protested angrily. "Doctor we've got to try!"

"Maybe, maybe we'll think of something," he said inhaling. "But until we do, we've got to get to the bottom of this. I am the target of all of this. Sooner or later they are going to come for me, and if they take me from here..."

Her mouth fell open in horror. "You'll be put to sleep."

He nodded ever so slightly, his eyes serious.

And for a moment she couldn't breathe. It was spinning, the room. The only thing grounding her was the steady gaze of those brown eyes, eyes now so sad, weighted with utter defeat and hopelessness, eyes which could soon forever be closed. The urgency of the situation coupled with her newfound doubt was sending her confidence into a dizzying descent. Eyes which had seen so much and done so much to save so many shouldn't be rewarded with this. The injustice of it coiled inside her, hot and burning, threatening to spring up from her navel. "What about that chip?" she asked hastily, struggling to find some light in the dark. "Have you got it finished yet?"

He couldn't bring himself to answer, more demoralizing news. Instead his eyes fell, his head inclining ever so slightly to the left. She looked past his shoulder to the counter to see a scattered pile of tiny metal slivers upon the counter, all that was left of hours of hard work deliberately smashed. She gasped, running towards it, her hands pulling at her hair in frustration.

"It seems after I was arrested, the door to the lab was left unsecured. We're back to square one, except they've taken my screwdriver and I don't have access to anything in my office. I can't make another one."

_No. _

Something in her snapped.

"_No!_" she spat defiantly, the emotion on her face promptly vanishing. She paced, falling back on her tactical training, her mind whizzing with scenarios and courses of action, ready to fight to make this better at _any_ cost. "Start working on the Chula ship," she ordered with a point. "It's our next best play. I'm going to monitor everything going on here. They can't erase the footage while I'm watching it. Anything out of the ordinary and I'll catch them in the act." She eyed him anxiously for a moment before jumping forward to squeeze him tight. "We'll figure this out," she whispered into his ear. He moved to hold her closer but in an instant she had pulled away, marching out without another word.

_Rose Tyler._ His defender. Despite the dire circumstances, he couldn't stop the lopsided smile from stretching at the edge of his mouth.


	25. Chapter 25

**So my computer cord broke yesterday and my laptop is drained, thus the late chapter. I've had to resort to using my husbands computer (blah). And on top of that fanfic has been down and I have been unable to update for over a day. Found a nifty link to get around the problem. I still have some tweaking to do with the end of this one so it will be edited later on, but for now I thought I'd put it up. Sorry for the delay.**

**Chapter**

Trying not to think of the dreadful state of her aching feet, Rose stared blearily at several security footage feeds splayed on on Jake's monitor. With things rapidly getting more serious, she'd been adamant on working in a public space, wanting at least _some_ small measure of security. Seeing the Doctor's despair, it had been so easy to make promises that she could figure this out, but after only two days downright exhaustion was taking it's taxing toll. And didn't help in the least that her task was of the most monotonous order- the dull black and white security screens playing endlessly with nothing to report. Well, no news was good news, she supposed. And so she had stood on her feet for hours and hours on end, running over scenario after scenario in her head as Jake poured over every untested avenue at her side. That is, when he wasn't off pouring her yet another cup of coffee.

For the thousandth time her eyes stalled on screen eight. Just barely visible on the left of the screen were a pair of tiny converse trainers sticking out from under a ship. Fear constricted her any time she thought of that dreadful anklet. Frankly, she was shocked Hartman had even been permitted to use such draconian measures on an agent in her employ at all- alien or no. Pete had been hard at work trying to free those incarcerated, and had already started filing a complaint calling for action against Hartman. Unfortunately, to get it to the top it would first have to go through several bureaucrats, a timely process. And it didn't undo what had already been done. That was why she had to be vigilant now. One slip and he could be confronted by whatever this was and taken from her forever. She would _never_ forgive herself for letting that happen. Readjusting her eyes, she forced herself to look over the rest of the screens: her office, his office, the inventory room, his lab, his cell, the NOVAE project room, and the hallway outside Hartman's office, anywhere there had been a data breach or were related in any way. But with nothing but the usual humdrum of daily Torchwood goings-on happening, she was left with little to do but stand, dead on her feet. Finally, her droopy eyes lowered to blink, and then closed.

Jake's voice came from behind, startling her as she rocked on her heels in alarm. "Oh come on, boss. Are you sure you want another cup?" he asked warily, handing her a sixth cup of coffee as she yawned. "If you ask me it's time for a break."

Without taking her eyes from screen, she took a swig, her hand slightly trembling from either exhaustion or low blood sugar; regardless, with as much sugar as she liked in her cup, coffee ought to help. _Three sugars, splash of milk._ It was one of the Doctor's endearing habits she'd picked up since they'd been seeing so much of each other. Used to take it straight. _Far too sweet_, she'd teased him. But like him, it had grown on her. "I'm fine," she dismissed stubbornly, her insides pinching at the memory.

"Need I remind you that you have a rather important function to attend to tomorrow?" he chided with an air of disapproval. "You need your rest to look the part if you want to gain an audience with the president."

She scoffed. It should have been quite obvious to him that looking good was the _last_ thing on her mind, what with her hair ragged and unkempt, and face makeup-free. Or maybe that was his whole point. It was just his 'nice way' of say, _You look like hell, Rose. _

"Look, I know you're worried about him, but you need to take a break," he protested, putting a hand on her shoulder, her eyes refusing to leave the screen. "You can't do it alone. You're gonna crack under the strain and then we'll be no closer to solving this. I can take the next shift."

She groaned. He was right. She couldn't go without sleep forever- try as she may.

"You and I, we've been at this a while. When have I ever let you down?" he asked earnestly.

She threw him a sideways glare, chewing on her lip in deliberation. Jake was _always_ right. In fact, it had been one of his most annoying qualities. She had always been the first one in the door, stun guns blazing, off to the save the world; act first, think later. For the past few years she had been dangerously reckless. She wasn't always that way, even when she was with the Doctor. She used to think her way through complex situations, relying on her wit rather than her brawn. After losing him however, that all changed. Jake had saved her life on more than one occasion by pulling her back and reminding her of the end goal: reuniting with her Time Lord. Relenting, she nodded and stifled a yawn with the back of her hand. "Fine, I'll back at three in the morning."

"Seven," he ordered. "Get some rest, Rose."

"Thanks," she muttered appreciatively before retreating toward the corridor. "Call me if you see so much as a_ blip._"

For a brief moment, she contemplated going to see him, but soon found even the mere task of walking to be draining. Instead, she shuffled toward her office. With a wave of her badge and a click, she collapsed in her chair, head propped against the wall. Sleep claimed her instantly.

* * *

The Doctor lay on the cool pavement under the broad underbelly of the Chula warship, struggling to bring his bloodshot eyes in focus, torch tucked between his teeth. Without his beloved sonic, attempting to fix the gaping hole from a blast that had brought the ship down a decade earlier was immeasurably more difficult. At least he had made _some_ progress. He _had_ patched up the broken wing from the impact damage after all, but restoring the hull's integrity would be vital before trying to take the ship back into space. And of course he would need to fix the field generator to keep the oxygen from leaking out. Grumpily, he yanked at a bent metal support beam trying to hammer it out. Such_ primitive _methods. Reaching around the other side, his fingers splayed searching for anything in the way. Without warning, a feeling he hadn't experience in almost three months once again crawled along his arm, burning his wrist. Turning on the torch with his left hand, he examined it.

Curious. The implant site was red and inflamed. Seemed they had implanted the device almost directly on the dividing line where he went from Time Lord to human. The implant was being rejected by the extra subdural and subcutaneous layers of his superior Time Lord skin. Silently, he chortled as he tugged on the edge of the tiny sliver poking out of his wrist. It gave way without a fight, pinched between his long fingers. _Oh that's brilliant_, he said to himself, beaming. It was a small victory, but a victory nonetheless. One step closer to freedom.

He'd have to keep the chip on him of course, to keep anyone from being suspicious. But just how was he supposed to carry such a tiny thing? He cast a weary eye about him, spying the boots of his guard just to his left. His mouth twisted in thought. Plunging his other hand into the abyss of his brown pinstripe jacket pocket, he extricated a roll of tape, so very grateful that he had installed those bigger-on-the-inside pockets. Ever so carefully, he placed the chip on a sticky clear strip, then wrapped several more layers of tape around it for more substance. Peering once more at the bustling hangar, he carefully placed the wad of tape into his pocket before affording another look at his hand. Surprisingly, the redness had already begun to fade. _God_ he loved that hand! A happy hum sounded at the back of his throat as he flexed his fingers in delight.

"Doctor?" a familiar low voice rang out.

Startled by the sudden sound, he rolled to the side out from under the ship and jumped to his feet. Pete stood before him, looking as sharp as ever save for the tired lines wearing deep into his face.

"Pete," he said in surprise. Remembering his place, he stumbled on his words. "U-um I mean, _Director Tyler." _He gave a polite nod as he brushed the dust from the back of his hair.

Pete frowned at him. He shook his head slightly, biting his lip. "There's no excuse for what's been done to you. I'm appalled by what's happened. If there's anything I can do to make your stay here more comfortable, please let me know."

He nodded, folding his arms, a cheeky grin spreading on his face. "Well now that you mention it, there's quite a bit. For one, I'd like to upgrade my suite. And I'd like my screwdriver. _And..._ a man can't survive without his jelly babies. "

Pete snorted. "I'll see what I can do about the first and last request. As to the second..." He reached into his suit pocket. "_Here_." He handed over his sonic screwdriver. "This might make you more comfortable. You wouldn't believe what strings I had to pull to get this back to you. But," he said looking at the grand ship beside him placing a hand on it, "it's the fastest way to get this thing back in the air, and your life may depend on that."

The Doctor's face lit up as he gave his trusty screwdriver a smooch before pocketing it. "_You_ are a life saver, you are. I'm surprised Hartman allowed it."

"Oh she didn't want to but last time I checked _I'm_ still the Director."

"That you are," he said admirably with a smirk. "That you are. Speaking of which, there's one more thing you can do to make my stay more comfortable."

"Yeah?" he asked, his balding head tilting upwards slightly.

"Fire Hartman, will you?" he requested in all seriousness.

He snickered. "Oh trust me, I'm working on it."

"Good," he stated, his voice now devoid of all jest. "A woman like that had no business being in a position of power anywhere, much less an institute like Torchwood where the fate of the world could be at stake."

Pete cast a weary look over his shoulder. "Speaking of which," he began, his voice also growing more quiet and earnest, "I've arranged to meet with President Jones tomorrow night at a charity function. I'm going as a guest under Viatex's name but I've asked Rose and Jake to come. We'll see what we can do about freeing you and the others. You'll need to be on alert while we're gone."

He nodded. "Thanks, but I'll be fine. I've got my sonic, after all," he said petting his pocket with a faux smile that didn't reach his tired eyes. Having his teleport disruptor was a vast improvement to his chances. Based on what he'd seen, Torchwood and it's anit-transport beam were as trustworthy as any of it's other current security measures which had been skirted at every turn.

Pete turned as if to speak, but then his eyes fell, his mouth pressing together in a frown. With a curt nod (the Pete Tyler equivalent to an hour of gut-pouring sympathies), he turned and departed. With a resigned sigh, the Doctor crouched down, rolling and scooting himself back into place. But after only an hour, he was simply too tired, muttering under his breath as he tried to sort through a handful of wires that needed to be reconnected. His mental capacity was greatly reduced in his current state. He'd need at least a few hours of sleep if he was going to continue with any amount of accuracy and efficiency. _Barmy human sleeping cycles. _Finally admitting defeat, he pulled himself onto his feet and made his way towards the detention area only to be redirected toward his new accommodations in the on-site barracks. Wow, Pete moved fast. No complaints from him.

It was better than what he did have, he'd give them that. He had a proper bed and beside table now, complete with a little reading lamp and a flat screen TV on the opposite wall, and an overstuffed chair in the corner. Overall the room was _much _more inviting and comfortable. Course, that could also be due to the lack of the steel bolted door and force field lock of his previous accommodations. He had no doubt that if he had not been in such personal good standing with the Director, none of this would have happened. If Hartman's had her way, he'd be stuck in that abysmal cell indefinitely.

He was happy to see that they had even given him back his other suit, as it lie draped across the bed. He was secretly grateful for the trans-dimensional pockets. Whoever did a pat down of his stuff didn't realize he had several things stored inside them, including his mobile.

Yawing, he dressed in his robe, grabbed his things and made his way to the men's locker room just across the hall. The guard posted outside his door didn't even budge, obviously not considering a trip to the loo to be worth walking the extra five feet. Well_ that _was an improvement at least.

He pushed aside the door to the facilities as he entered. For a locker room, it was rather quiet and uninteresting with nothing to note except an excessive amount of blue tile. Languidly, he drug his feet towards the mirror and plugged in his razor. A man stood beside him, idly washing his hands as the Doctor began the task of shaving the stubble upon his jaw. He gave the middle aged Asian man a cordial glance in the mirror and halted. He knew that look- that odd twinge, as if seeing far off. _Oh dear._

Dropping his razor into the empty sink beneath him with a clank, he took a step back. "Your hypnotized," he said alarmed. "Aren't you?!"

The man didn't answer, the harsh lighting catching the silver peppering his dark hair as he tilted his dead in a most disturbing manner. From his pocket, the man drew a nondescript probe of some type- white and benign. Likely for medical use. Whatever it was however, he hadn't seen anything before. More parallel universe variation. This time though, he wasn't keen to investigate.

Instinctively, he patted his hips but found nothing but his robe. _Drat. _No sonic or mobile. _Catch me doing that again,_ he scolded himself. Cautiously he raised his hands, slowly backing up as the man approached. "Oh you're clever, aren't you. Waiting for me in here? The _one_ place with no surveillance." He could try to overpower him and snap him out of hypnosis, but he had the upper hand with whatever it was he was holding. He would have to run past him. Whatever he did, he couldn't let the man take him anywhere. He backed into the wall, prepared to dash to the side to get around him.

Suddenly a woman appeared adorned in black tactical wear, opening the stall in the corner.

"Oh now _that's not fair_!" the Doctor protested. "You're not even supposed to be in here!" he pointed at her, gesturing towards her womanliness. His eyes grew as they approached him. "And here's the part where I run."

"We are here to help," the man suddenly spoke.

The Doctor blinked in astonishment. "What?!"

"We are here to help," he said once more pointing towards his ankle with the probe in his hand.

Whatever this bloke planned on doing, he wasn't keen to let him try. "Oh, sorry mate, but I'd rather you not. You go messing with that and it's lights out for me," he said as the man stopped in front of him.

"We will investigate."

"No!" he shouted, waving his hands frantically in front of him. "Whatever you need me for if you touch that device it could give me enough Jathar sleeping liquid to stop my heart, and I rather like my heart thank you," he fibbed. "And don't even think about trying to beam me out of here. As soon as I go out of range it's game over." It was obvious he was of great worth to whatever was trying to get at him. Perhaps in the interest of preserving him, they would let him be.

The man knelt as the woman pushed him against the mirrored wall. "Don't!" he yelled twirling out of her grasp and stumbling to the white tiled floor. The woman in black threw herself upon the ground to steady him as the man approached with another instrument- a thirtieth century sedative pen.

Desperate, he quickly reached up and thrust his hands upon the temples of the woman on top of him. She gasped and fell to the ground confused. He felt a sudden sting upon his thigh. A string of Gallifreyan curse words sounded in the air as tingling began coursing over his body. Yep, this was much stronger than the average anesthetic. At least it was only meant to sedate and not knock him out. He slumped upon the ground as the man approached with the probe. Blimey he was losing his touch. Too much human in him.

"Please, _please_, don't..." he implored, fast losing his strength. But it was of no use. He lowered his heavy head to the cold floor, bracing for the inevitable. Of all the humiliating ways to go, ending up as sleeping beauty had to be near the top of his list. Unable to stop the man, his chest hammered with dread as the device hummed quietly.

"Scans indicate .005 ounces of Jathar sleeping liquid," he spoke lifelessly. "Not enough to be lethal."

He struggled to let the information sink into his foggy brain. "Point O O five... but that means, that means she was bluffing! _She was bluffing_!" he laughed, thrilled. "That's only enough to..." suddenly the immobilizer popped in response to the scan and his body gave way.

He awoke with a start to find himself in his new room. Jake sat in the chair in the corner, his leg propped up on his knee, his foot tapping impatiently.

"What the hell happened?!" the Doctor asked as he shot up in bed, looking himself over. It appeared he was all still here, his robe was on him and his blanket had been pulled on top of him.

"You were accosted by two compromised agents."

"Yes, I got that bit," he remarked a bit irked. Donna's feisty nature was in him yet.

"I went to go check on you and found a dazed woman in hallway, talking about some man on the floor in the loo. I looked and there you were, lying on the floor with a bloke hovering over you. Me and the guard in hall were able to grab him. He's been hypnotized. We've got him in the detention center but he's coming to. The woman was dazed but she's fine. She's being watched."

"How long have I been out?"

"About eighteen hours."

_Whoa. That was some potent stuff. _Thank heavens that vile woman was bluffing. "Where's Rose?" he inquired expectantly.

"She's been by your side for hours, but ten minutes ago she left to erase the footage of what happened."

"What? _Why_?"

"It was her idea," he said lowering his voice and leaning forward. "If we keep quiet about what happened no one needs to know that your immobilizer has been compromised. They'll still think it's working. Then if you ever need to leave, you can," Jake said enthusiastically resting his elbows on his knees.

The Doctor yanked the covers off of him and pulled his foot up to examine the anklet. He grabbed his jacket from the floor and found his sonic screwdriver. It whirled as he scanned the device. "You're right. It used up all the sleeping fluid." He let out a huff of air. Imagine that. He was a free man now. He couldn't hide his joy as his face broke out in a wide smirk.

"You'll have to keep it on and pretend it's still working. I wouldn't put it past Hartman to do this again for real next time if she finds out," Jake said, troubled. "And you've still got your chip."

But the Doctor was hardly listening. "Hm? Oh yeah.. _right_." He didn't bother correcting him, head once again full of limitless possibilities with a certain lovely young lady.

"Rose and I are going to a charity even to speak with President Jones in a couple of hours. She's got to hear the other side of the story."

Suddenly, the man had his full attention as the Doctor shot Jake a sideways glare. Didn't Pete say he was going too? Or had plans changed?

"Hey now, what's that look for?" Jake said with a silent chortle. He sat up. "Rose said you two weren't even going out. She's free game."

In an instant, the Doctor's eyes narrowed. "Sorry?!" Oh he didn't like the sound of _that._ Just what was Jake insinuating?

"She's a free woman, isn't she?" Jake leaned forward. "Oh I get it, you think she's into you? Did you think you two were together? Because that's not how she tells it. I see how it is. She doesn't want to be with you, but you want to be with her, is that it?"

His dark eyes flashed warningly at his words.

Jake's friendly demeanor vanished. "She deserves better than you," he whispered quietly.

Alarmed at the sudden turn of the conversation, the Doctor sat upright on the edge of the bed, slack-jawed and uncharacteristically silent.

"You should have seen her the first time, Doctor," Jake swallowed. "She was broken, and_ I _had to pick up the pieces. Six years we've been together. _Six years_. All that time she spent looking for him, denying herself any happiness, and when she _finally _did what he refused to do to get back, the dolt left her all over again. He broke her heart _twice_. And now here you are, some stranger. Some _copy_. Did it never occur to you that maybe she hasn't made a move because you remind her too much of the man who broke her heart?"

Both his brows and his stomach twisted in equal measure. _Could this be true?_

Jake stood with a presumptuous smirk. "You'd better stay put, Doc. You are chipped after all. As for me, I've got a hot date," he smiled smugly, coolly flicking a piece of fuzz from his black sleeve.

Chest hammering, he watched as Jake gave him a mock salute and strode out into the hall with a spring in his step. Jumping lithely to his feet, the Doctor rushed forward, but the door closed in his face. Oh that, smug little twat! Waiting until his competition was out of commission... He didn't consider himself a physically violent man, but in that moment he wanted nothing more but to open that door and knock Jake to the ground.

Because his words stung. And because... _they were true._

He ran his hand through his ruffled hair and down the sides of his scruffy thin face. Often he wondered if Jake had feelings for Rose- this seemed to confirm that. His stomach squirmed uncomfortably once more. _But this didn't make sense_. Rose had been spending so much time with _him_. Did she honestly still consider him just a friend? Really and truly?

But then the past few days... she held his hand... the hugs, the kiss on the forehead, she was going to say something in the hallway... She had told him there would be no more goodbyes!

Suddenly he found himself questioning every small interaction with her, analyzing every look and second guessing himself as he paced the same ten feet back and forth repeatedly, his bare feet scuffing along the grey carpet. He couldn't just go after him. If they caught him off base without a chip and an immobilizer he'd back at square one, or _worse_. His pacing quickened as he rubbed at the sides of his nose with his hands. But then he couldn't stand the thought of losing Rose._ Not like this. _After finally working up the nerve to tell her how he felt in that god-forsaken cell, he was not going to lose her now_. _All he needed was a chance. _Just one!_

He weighed his options. It'd be an enormous risk going after her, but maybe it was an even bigger risk not to. He'd have to throw off his guard, and he would need transportation...

"By _Rassalion_, what am I doing?" he shook his head in exasperation, yanking at his hair. With a shaky breath, he reached into his jacket pocket on the floor once more and snatched his mobile to phone someone he never thought he would call.

"Jackie?! Yes yes it's me. Yeah I know, j-just listen to me! I need your help..."


	26. Chapter 26

**The illustration for this chapter is posted on my profile. I make no apologizes for the brevity of this chapter. Its' my favorite! =D And be prepared for the story to REALLY take off from here!**

**Chapter 26**

Rose perched herself up as far as she was able on her rather uncomfortable black strappy shoes, straining to see across a sea of people. _Ugh_, she _hated_ dressing up. She could hardly move in her ridiculous cocktail dress, and the shoes were in their entirely own category of 'not fun'. Next time, she was _not_ letting her mum talk her into picking her outfit. Add to the mix the fact that she was practically dead on her feet, and she wanted nothing but be out of the infernal place as soon as possible. These social events were always so very draining- all glitz and glamor and grating gossip.

Spotting an elusive opening, she quickly darted to slip past, but two imposing men conveniently placed themselves in her way. Rose looked them over- tall, broad shouldered, stoic, _lifeless_. Yep. MI6, no doubt. _Drat. _Seemed Hartman had gotten to Harriet first. Must have told her not to listen to her and her dad. Jake however, had fared better. Seemed he had somehow managed to slip past, mingling with members of congress, a glass of champagne in his hand. He threw a furtive glance toward the President speaking with the Secretary of Defense just a few steps away.

"Ooo, that awful woman," she whined to Pete. "She even went out of the way to tell the President not to listen to us! How is it Harriet can listen to _Hartman_ but not you? You're the Director for heaven's sake!"

"She must think your relationship with him has compromised both of our judgments, or that's probably what she was told anyway," Pete sighed, looking about warily. "I'll see if I can get to the other side."

She nodded grumpily as her father disappeared into a crowd of diamonds and sequins. Just then, she spied Jake's spiky hair as he finally managed to get Harriet's attention. She couldn't help but smiled as he asked the president to dance, hand extended in a courtly bow.

"Rose?"

Rose's eyes widened at the familiar voice- a voice by all accounts she ought_ not_ to be hearing. She spun on the spot to find the Doctor standing there, adorned in his familiar brown pinstripes, converse shoes, and signature messy hair.

His own eyes flew wide as he took her in. Never had he seen her look so beautiful. Her hair fell in loose curls at her shoulders flanking a set of cultured pearls at her neck. His eyes lingered at the plunging neckline of her lacy black dress, her golden curls dancing about as she breathed. For a moment he couldn't speak. Which, considering the size of his gob, was _quite_ the achievement.

"W-what are you doing here?! You can't let them see you!" she chided, grabbing him by the arm and yanking him into the hallway, pushing him against the wall with a thud. She peered around the corner to see if anyone had noticed before whirling around once more. "How did you get past security? They'll know where you are! They'll know your immobilizer isn't working! They'll lock you away again!" she fussed shaking her head at him, drawing her hand up accusingly.

Still the words wouldn't come. "I-"

"What?" she asked expectantly, stepping back to eye him from head to toe, waiting for his explanation. It had better be a good one.

Faced with the sudden reality of situation, the monumental task of bearing his soul seemed so very intimidating. He swallowed, his throat feeling a tad parched as he fiddled with his collar. "My chip fell out. And, and... I- I had to see you," he stammered, starting to feel just a bit silly.

"You couldn't wait? We were just about to-"

"_No_," he declared emphatically. She blinked at him in surprise, head tilting in confusion. Then his hand sought hers with deliberateness, lacing their fingers as he gently tugged her forward.

Her heart thudded at the sudden blazing look in his eyes and at the rather romantic physical gesture- a gesture that had stepped over the unspoken boundaries of their friendship. "It's too dangerous for you to be here," she whispered with a small shake of her head as stepped so very close.

"It was too dangerous for me not to come," he corrected her, sliding his hands around to the small of her back, pressing them together. Whatever questions she had about the ambiguity and nature of his intentions were quickly fading."I thought I'd never get to do this again when they put that device on me," he whispered. "And I told myself that if I ever got out of there, it was time to stop dancing around how I felt about you."

Her breath caught in her chest as his words, unleashing a flurry of nerves in her stomach.

"Rose..." His breathing quickened as he nervously eyed her. "_Oh, Rose_. I'm hopeless. I'm hopelessly mad for you. And if you any feelings for me, _any at all_, please tell me because I can't stand not knowing."

Eyes beseeching and lovesick, he tenderly brought her hand upon his beating chest. The soft touch of his fingertips tingled upon her hand. His heartfelt declaration of love melted her, her resolve nearly crumbling. Her thoughts began to swirl when he spoke once more.

"'Cos if you do, Rose, if you do we can run from this- all of it, you and I," he spoke, gently drawing her head closer to his, cradling her face as he grazed her cheeks with this thumbs. "We can travel the stars together again. We can have freedom and adventure for the rest of our days. If my presence is threatening this planet then we can leave, _together_."

Her heart fluttered as she realized just how weighty those words truly were- _he was offering to run away with her_. "Oh," she breathed staring into his dark pools, hope and longing written upon them. The intensity of his searing gaze threatening to pierce through all of her lingering defenses- all of her lingering guilt and inner conflict.

He was like poison and antidote in one. Like a fire she couldn't get close to yet couldn't keep away from. She was on the precipice. She could now only go forward and be consumed, or go back into the cold.

"Rose, Rose don't you see? I _am_ him," he insisted, desperately clutching her waist to him. "The meta-crisis wasn't a cloning process it was a _regeneration_. Regeneration energy is what contains the Time Lord consciousness. It allows us to survive when the body dies. This body might be new, but the soul that lives in me is his. I am literally him. Not a copy, not a replacement. I _am_ him. I've always been him, and I've always love you."

His words zapped through her like a jolt of electricity, doing more in one moment to snap her out of her stupor than days of coffee. Utterly shocked, she took a tentative step back, a shaking hand drawing to her open mouth. He couldn't be- he couldn't be the same man. _Her_ Time Lord... Slowly, her gaze turned to the floor, her mind racing.

Instinctively, he reached out his hand but stopped short as he recalled the disasters of the past, leaving his fingers to curl tensely in the air. With each painful second, panic began to build.

"I- I just need a minute," she muttered breathlessly, her blond curls hiding her eyes just out of view. With that, she turned and ran as best as she could manage, disappearing around the corner.

"Gsshhh," he groaned in frustration, running his hands through his hair and circling on the spot. He wasn't sure if he should let her go or not. He was nearly sick with anticipation. It was killing him.

Rose hurriedly shuffled down the hall before finding a small alcove for the loo, leaning against the wall to take a much needed time out. Could it really be? Was it true? All this time, _all_ this time it had been him all along? But then... he _didn't _leave her behind, did he? Then another realization struck her- she had made that promise of forever to _him_ too. She had kept him away for nothing. So much time had been wasted! And now he was waiting for her, waiting to run away. Her heart swelled, tears of joy welling in her eyes. Then she grinned, a grin to end all Rose Tyler grins. She was going to do it... She was going to run away with this man!

Rushing into the hallway, she nearly ran head-long into Jake who jumped in surprise. "_Rose_," he exclaimed excitedly, "We did it! Harriet Jones is going to let the aliens go! She's decommissioning the chip program as we speak!"

It was enough of a shock to jostle her yet again. "Really? Just like that?"

"Yep," he said happily.

"I've gotta to tell him," she said, astonished.

"You mean Pete? Already told him," he said smugly, bouncing on the heels of his feet.

"No, the Doctor," she corrected him, smiling widely once more at the sound of _his_ name.

Jake looked surprised, his head peering down the hall. "He's here?"

She nodded her head in affirmation, her emotions practically bubbling over with excitement and anticipation. "Yep! Come on," she said stepping lightly toward the hall.

"Before we tell him, dance with me Rose." Just then, he unexpectedly grabbed both her hands, spinning her around to face him in a dizzying maneuver.

"Wait, _what_?!" The room came to rest, and she found herself looking up at him, his piercing blue eyes so very insistent. Surprise seemed to be the recurring theme of the evening.

"Just _one_ dance. Come on," he urged, pulling her closer.

What was he on? This wasn't like him. "_Jake_," she chided with a shake of her head, yanking herself from his grasp. This was hardly the time, and they hadn't come here for that. _And_ she certainly wasn't going to leave the love of her life waiting any longer.

But the cheery demeanor vanished from Jake's face as he reached into his pocket and pulled out a strange metal device. Then her heart stopped as it all became so _very_ clear. "_Oh god_," she uttered, stumbling back as a white light flashed in her face.

"Dance with me, Rose," he ordered expressionlessly.

Rose struggled to bring the figure in front of her into focus, her mind buzzing. The man reached out and pulled her tightly against him, setting her hands upon his shoulders and wrapping his hands around her waist.

Unable to wait any longer, the Doctor turned the corner and stopped in his tracks.

There she was, in_ his _arms. His insides lurched as his fists clenched. Swallowing hard, he swerved around the corner once more. He rested against the wall, taking a long deep breath to find his wits. It couldn't be. _It couldn't be. _She couldn't love this man more than him. After everything they had been through... They could just be dancing... like _friends, _he rationalized. In the... _hallway_.

_No. _Jake had made himself perfectly clear earlier. Jealousy shoved through him like hot iron to the gut. Whatever this was, he had to confront them and find out for himself. Once again, he stepped around the corner.

Time stopped.

Jake was kissing her passionately, holding her face in his hands... and she _wasn't_ stopping him. In that moment he forgot how to breathe, his universe collapsing in slow motion right before his eyes. When the need for air could be held back no longer he inhaled, the breath scorching his throat, haggard and strained. Shaking, he stepped back, tears stinging his eyes.

He couldn't bear to watch any longer. For the last time, he rounded the corner and tried to run from the crushing ache that had settled in him. But even as his feet swiftly carried him away from the sounds of laughter and music, he knew there would be no running from this. Not this time. He was too late, she was gone. He had lost her.


End file.
